Human leukocyte antigen-G is expressed by the eutopic and ectopic endometrium of adenomyosis.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the expression of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) in endometrial samples from patients with and without adenomyosis.


METHODS
Laboratory study using human tissue.


METHODS
University hospital.


METHODS
Thirty-four patients with adenomyosis and 11 with myoma of the uterus.


METHODS
Human leukocyte antigen-G protein expression and localization with immunohistochemistry.


METHODS
Quantitative analysis of HLA-G protein expression, according to H-score.


RESULTS
A statistically significant difference was noted in HLA-G expression between the glandular cells of eutopic and ectopic endometrium (Mann-Whitney test, 412). The H-score of the negative control was 0.05 +/- 0.03 (mean +/- SD). In stromal cells, we observed a statistically significantly higher expression of HLA-G in eutopic endometrium than in ectopic endometrium (Mann-Whitney test, 169), whereas the H-score of the negative control was 0.05 +/- 0.02. A statistically significant correlation was found between HLA-G expression in ectopic and eutopic endometrium in patients with adenomyosis, both in glands (r = 0.89) and in stroma (r = 0.78).


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with adenomyosis had HLA-G expression in eutopic and ectopic endometrial cells. This could be an explanation for the cells' ability to escape from the hosts' immunosurveillance and to survive without being eliminated by the immune system.
Wang
Fei
F
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, China.
Wen
Zeqing
Z
Li
Hui
H
Yang
Zhongli
Z
Zhao
Xingbo
X
Yao
Xiaoyi
X
D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D004715:Endometriosis / Q000276:immunology*; D004717:Endometrium / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000032:analysis*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007889:Leiomyoma / Q000276:immunology; D008875:Middle Aged; D017154:Stromal Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014594:Uterine Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology
D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I