title: High plasma levels of HLA-G are associated with low birth weight and with an increased risk of malaria in infancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The immunosuppressive properties of HLA-G protein can create a tolerogenic environment that may allow Plasmodium falciparum to avoid host immune responses. There are known associations between high levels of circulating soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) and either parasite or viral infections and it has been suggested that the induction of sHLA-G expression could be a mechanism via which infectious agents subvert host immune defence. The study presented here is the first to investigate the possible association between sHLA-G and malaria or malaria related risk factors in Benin.
  
  
  METHODS
  A parasitological and clinical follow-up of 165 mothers and their newborns from delivery through to one year of age was conducted in the Tori Bossito area of southern Benin. Plasma levels of sHLA-G were determined by ELISA in maternal peripheral and cord blood and again in infants' peripheral blood at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age. The associations between the levels of sHLA-G and malaria risk factors were investigated through multivariate mixed models.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Strong correlations were observed between the maternal and cord plasma concentrations of sHLA-G. In multivariate analyses, high cord plasma levels of sHLA-G were independently associated with (i) low birth weight and (ii) an increased risk of P. falciparum infection in infancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results show for the first time the possible involvement of sHLA-G in generating immune tolerance during pregnancy-associated malaria. Soluble HLA-G may represent a useful marker of susceptibility to malaria in infants and be associated with the higher susceptibility to infection observed for LBW children.
authors.forename: Ibrahim
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Sadissou
authors.forename: Tania
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: d'Almeida
authors.forename: Gilles
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Luty
authors.forename: Irène
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Krawice-Radanne
authors.forename: Achille
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Massougbodji
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Moreau
authors.forename: Kabirou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Moutairou
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Benoit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Favier
authors.forename: Nathalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rouas-Freiss
authors.affiliation: Centre d'Etude et de Recherche sur le Paludisme Associé à la Grossesse et à l'Enfance, Faculté des Sciences de la Santé, Université d'Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, Bénin. David.Courtin@ird.fr.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Courtin
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001541:Benin / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D059951:HLA-G Antigens