The therapeutic potential of the HLA-G molecule

EDITORIAL

The therapeutic potential of the HLA-G molecule

The HLA-G gene has several peculiarities that distinguish it from the class I HLA genes. Its singular molecular structure provides a limited antigen presentation and allows the modulation of immune system cells (NK and lymphomononuclear cells), and the result is that HLA-G acts like a tolerogenic and immunosuppressive molecule.¹ Its major physiological function lies in participating in the tolerance between maternal and fetal cells in the placental interface.² HLA-G is implicated in the etiopathogenesis of several human diseases, such as chronic viral infections (HIV, cytomegalovirus, hepatitis C and hepatitis B), rejection to the transplantation of solid organs (kidney, heart), neoplasias, and autoimmune diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, and type I diabetes mellitus).³ In this issue, Brenol CV et al.⁴ reviewed the role of HLA-G in several autoimmune rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, systemic sclerosis, Behçet's disease, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, Kawasaki disease, inflammatory myopathies, and sarcoidosis). The authors provide a general panel of the molecular structure of HLA-G, its major functions, and how the study of the polymorphism of its alleles associates with the occurrence of autoimmune rheumatic diseases. Because HLA-G is an immunosuppressive and tolerance-inducing molecule, the possibility of its future use in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, including the rheumatic diseases, has been considered.⁵

Paulo Louzada-Junior

Max Victor Carioca Freitas

Editors in Chief of the Brazilian Journal of Rheumatology

REFERENCES

• ¹
  Donadi EA, Castelli EC, Arnaiz-Villena A, Roger M, Rey D, Moreau P. Implications of the polymorphism of HLA-G on its function, regulation, evolution and disease association. Cell Mol Life Sci 2011;68(3):369-95.
• ²
  Yao YQ, Barlow DH, Sargent IL. Differential expression of alternatively spliced transcripts of HLA-G in human preimplantation embryos and inner cell masses. J Immunol 2005;175(12):8379-85.
• ³
  Carosella ED, Moreau P, Lemaoult J, Rouas-Freiss N. HLA-G: from biology to clinical benefits. Trends Immunol 2008;29(3):125-32.
• ⁴
  Brenol CV, Veit TD, Chies JA, Xavier RM. The role of the HLA-G gene and molecule on the clinical expression of rheumatologic diseases. Rev Bras Reumatol 2012;52(1):75-91.
• ⁵
  Carosella ED. The tolerogenic molecule HLA-G. Immunol Lett 2011;138(1):22-4.

Publication Dates

• Publication in this collection
  26 Jan 2012
• Date of issue
  Feb 2012