title: Soluble HLA-G and HLA-A,-B,-C serum levels in patients with allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized by Th2-polarized immune response. Soluble HLA (sHLA) molecules play an immunomodulatory activity. So far, however, no study investigated them in AR.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate sHLA-G and sHLA-A,-B,-C serum levels in AR patients with pollen allergy and in a group of healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine AR patients were enrolled. A group of healthy nonallergic subjects was considered as control. sHLA-G and sHLA-A,-B,-C serum levels were determined by immunoenzymatic method. The study was conducted during the winter, such as outside the pollen season.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Allergic patients had significantly higher levels of both sHLA-G (P < 0.0001) and sHLA-A,-B,-C (P = 0.011) molecules than normal controls. Moreover, there was a significant relationship between these two soluble molecules (r = 0.69) in allergic patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study provides the first evidence that both sHLA-G and sHLA-A,-B,-C serum levels are significantly increased in AR patients with pollen allergy.
authors.affiliation: DIMI, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciprandi
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Colombo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Contini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cagnati
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pistorio
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puppo
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murdaca
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D015234:HLA-A Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D015236:HLA-C Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011058:Pollen / Q000276:immunology; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D006255:Rhinitis, Allergic, Seasonal / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D012995:Solubility; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015234:HLA-A Antigens; D015235:HLA-B Antigens; D015236:HLA-C Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I