title: Application of human leukocyte antigen-G expression in the diagnosis of human cancer.
abstract: It has been well known that human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G molecules are present in a variety of human neoplastic diseases, and the molecule may contribute to the escape of tumor cells from immune surveillance. Besides the studies that aim at elucidating the roles of HLA-G in immune regulation, the researches that focus on potential applications of HLA-G expression in cancer diagnosis represent another perspective in HLA-G research. This review summarizes those recent translational studies of HLA-G expression in the diagnosis of human cancer. Specifically, the promises and challenges for applying HLA-G expression to detect cancer in body fluids, to diagnose different types of human cancer and to predict clinical outcome in cancer patients will be briefly reviewed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, Maryland 21231, USA. ishih@jhmi.edu
authors.forename: Ie-Ming
authors.initials: IeM
authors.lastname: Shih
mesh_terms: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I