title: Soluble HLA-G molecule in patients with perennial allergic rhinitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Allergic rhinitis (AR) is characterized by T helper 2 polarized immune response. The soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) molecule has an immunomodulatory activity. However, so far, no study has investigated this activity in perennial AR (PAR).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to evaluate serum sHLA-G levels in PAR patients and in a group of healthy controls.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-five PAR patients were enrolled. A group of 50 healthy non-allergic subjects was considered as control. sHLA-G serum levels were determined by immunoenzymatic method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Allergic patients had significantly higher levels of the sHLA-G (p < 0.001) molecule than normal controls. Moreover, there was a very strong correlation between sHLA-G and symptom severity and drug use (r = 0.85 and 0.793, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study provides first evidence that serum sHLA-G levels are significantly increased in PAR patients. Moreover, sHLA-G might be considered as a biomarker for assessing clinical severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy. gio.cip@libero.it
authors.forename: Giorgio
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciprandi
authors.forename: Paola
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Contini
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murdaca
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Gallina
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Puppo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012221:Rhinitis, Allergic, Perennial / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D006680:HLA Antigens; D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I