title: Correlation of class II transactivator with HLA-DR antigen and its implications.
abstract: The present study was purposed to investigate the relation and difference of expression phase between class II transactivator (CIITA) and HLA-DR antigens after IFN-gamma induction, and the inhibition of CIITA and HLA-DR by STAT1-alpha antisense oligonucleotides (STAT1-alpha AS); and to explore the potential effect and significance of CIITA and STAT1-alpha AS in transplantation immunity. T lymphocytes from peripheral blood of healthy subjects were incubated with IFN-gamma at different doses. RT-PCR was used to detect CIITA mRNA and Western blot was used to analyze HLA-DR antigen. Then the optimum dose of IFN-gamma was chosen for the experiment. CIITA mRNA and HLA-DR antigen were detected at various time points. Different doses of STAT1-alpha AS and sense oligonucleotides (STAT1-alpha S) were added to T lymphocytes followed by IFN-gamma. After incubation with IFN-gamma, the expression of CIITA mRNA and HLA-DR was detected once again. The results showed that CIITA mRNA was detectable at 5 hours after IFN-gamma incubation and reached the peak at 14 hours, then declined, but the CIITA mRNA was still found at 23 hours. HLA-DR antigen was detectable at 28 hours after IFN-gamma incubation and reached a peak at 52 hours, then declined. CIITA mRNA expression was positively correlated to HLA-DR expression, and was earlier than the latter. The expression of CIITA mRNA in the AS groups was significantly lower than that in the control group after 5 micromol/L, 10 micromol/L and 20 micromol/L STAT1-alpha AS treatment (P < 0.01). The expression of CIITA mRNA in the S groups was higher than that in the AS groups (P < 0.01), but there was no significant difference between the S group and the control group. The expression of HLA-DR antigen was significantly inhibited by STAT1-alpha AS, and the expression level of HLA-DR protein in the AS group was about 64.3% of that in the control group (P < 0.01), while there was no significant difference in HLA-DR expression between the S group and the control group. The changes in HLA-DR expression were similar to those in CIITA expression after STAT1-alpha AS treatment. It is concluded that CIITA expression is positively correlated with HLA-DR expression, and was detectable earlier than that of latter after IFN-gamma incubation. Stat1-alpha antisense oligonucleotides may have a sequence-specific inhibiting effect on the expression of CIITA and HLA-DR antigen after IFN-gamma incubation in vitro culture, and can prevent T lymphocyte activation. CIITA may play an important role in pathogenesis of transplantation immunity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical College, Xuzhou 221002, China. xukailin@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Kai-Lin
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Xiu-Ying
authors.initials: XY
authors.lastname: Pan
authors.forename: Zhen-Yu
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Qun-Xian
authors.initials: QX
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Hong-Hu
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: DU
authors.forename: Ling-Yu
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zeng
mesh_terms: D002478:Cells, Cultured; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009687:Nuclear Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology*; D015534:Trans-Activators / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D014181:Transplantation Immunology / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; C083728:MHC class II transactivator protein; D009687:Nuclear Proteins; D016376:Oligonucleotides, Antisense; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D050794:STAT1 Transcription Factor; D015534:Trans-Activators; D007371:Interferon-gamma