title: Allergic women have reduced sHLA-G plasma levels at delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  HLA-G antigen maintains a tolerogenic condition at the foeto-maternal interface, counteracts inflammation in autoimmune diseases and soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) levels decrease in allergic-asthmatics. Taking into consideration these findings, we analyzed if sHLA-G and interleukin-10 (IL-10) could be influenced by pregnancy and labour in allergic and non-allergic women.
  
  
  METHODS
  sHLA-G isoforms and IL-10 levels were determined in the plasma samples of 43 women (15 non-allergic, 28 allergic) during third trimester, at delivery and 2 years after pregnancy by immunoenzymatic assays.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant increase in sHLA-G and IL-10 levels was documented at delivery in both allergic and non-allergic women. Allergic women showed lower sHLA-G concentrations. sHLA-G1 was evidenced as the predominant plasma isoform.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data showed increased sHLA-G and IL-10 concentrations at delivery, regardless of the allergic status. The sHLA-G1 isoform is mainly responsible for the increased sHLA-G levels at delivery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental and Diagnostic Medicine, Laboratory of Immunogenetics, University of Ferrara, Via Luigi Borsari 46, Ferrara, Italy. rbr@unife.it
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rizzo
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stignani
authors.forename: Petra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Amoudruz
authors.forename: Caroline
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Nilsson
authors.forename: Loredana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Melchiorri
authors.forename: Olavio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Baricordi
authors.forename: Eva
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sverremark-Ekström