title: HLA-G expression and role in advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma.
abstract: Non-classical human leucocyte antigen (HLA)-G class I molecules have an important role in tumor immune escape mechanisms. We investigated HLA-G expression in lymphonode biopsies taken from 8 controls and 20 patients with advanced-stage classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL), in relationship to clinical outcomes and the HLA-G 14-basepair (14-bp) deletion-insertion (del-ins) polymorphism. Lymphnode tissue sections were stained using a specific murine monoclonal HLA-G antibody. HLA-G protein expression was higher in cHL patients than controls. In the group of PET-2 positive (positron emission tomography carried out after 2 cycles of standard chemotherapy) patients with a 2-year progression-free survival rate (PFS) of 40%, we observed high HLA-G protein expression within the tumor microenvironment with low expression on Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg (HRS) cells. Conversely, PET-2 negative patients with a PFS of 86% had higher HLA-G protein expression levels on HRS cells compared to the microenvironment. Lower expression on HRS cells was significantly associated with the HLA-G 14-bp ins/ins genotype. These preliminary data suggest that the immunohistochemical pattern of HLA-G protein expression may represent a useful tool for a tailored therapy in patients with cHL, based on the modulation of HLA-G expression in relation to achievement of negative PET-2.These preliminary data suggest that the immunohistochemical pattern of HLA-G protein expression may represent a useful tool for a tailored therapy in patients with cHL, based on the modulation of HLA-G expression in relation to achievement of negative PET-2.
authors.affiliation: University of Cagliari. caocci.giovanni@gmail.com.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caocci
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Greco
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fanni
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Senes
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Littera
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Risso
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carcassi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Faa
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: La Nasa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005838:Genotype; D059951:HLA-G Antigens / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D006689:Hodgkin Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D054643:INDEL Mutation; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000235:genetics; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography
chemical_list: D059951:HLA-G Antigens; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins