Correlation of HLA-G expression with CMV active infection following kidney transplantation / 中华器官移植杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo determine the correlation of human leukocyte antigen-G (HLA-G)expression with CMV active infection after kidney transplantation. MethodsA total of 215 first-time kidney transplantation recipients in one transplantation center were divided into CMV ( + ) group and CMV ( - ) group according to whether they had active CMV infection. mhla-g1 expression on leukocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. The concentrations of soluble HLA-G5 were detected by using ELISA. The sHLA-G5 cutoff levels by ROC curve was employed to predict the active CMV infection. The expression of sHLA-G5 mRNA and protein in leukocytes was analyzed by using RTPCR and Western blotting respectively. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the HLA-G expression in kidney biopsies of 12 cases. ResultsThe expression of mHLA-G1 in peripheral blood was low in both CMV ( + ) group and CMV ( - ) group. Also when CMV-PP65 was positive, there was no significant change in mHLA-G1. In CMV ( + ) group, the proportion of CD14+ mHLA-G1 +cells[(45. 53 ± 17.32)％]in peripheral blood was increased as compared with that in CMV (-)group[(10. 22 ± 5.78)％]. The expression of sHLA-G5 was increased significantly in CMV ( + )group. The optimal cutoff value of sHLA-G5 predicting the active CMV infection was 202. 9 μg/L,with high diagnostic accuracy. HLA-G was positive in the kidney tissue of 10 patients out of 12 patients with active CMV infection. Both RT-PCR and Western blot analysis showed that sHLA-G5 was significantly higher in CMV ( + ) group than that in CMV ( - ) group. ConclusionROC curve analysis of sHLA-G5 with the cutoff value of 202. 9 μg/L can be used to predict the active CMV infection. The HLA-G levels in peripheral blood were significantly increased and HLA-G expression in the tubular epithelial cells of the graft could be a protection mechanism of the kidney function.