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. 2005 Jan;66(1):43-55.
doi: 10.1016/j.humimm.2004.10.002.

Constitutive intracellular expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DO and HLA-DR but not HLA-DM in trophoblast cells

Anthi Ranella  1 , Simon Vassiliadis, Chrisa Mastora, Michailidou Valentina, Eva Dionyssopoulou, Irene Athanassakis
Affiliations

Constitutive intracellular expression of human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DO and HLA-DR but not HLA-DM in trophoblast cells

Anthi Ranella et al. Hum Immunol. 2005 Jan.

Abstract

The nonclassic human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DM molecules have been proved to positively regulate antigen presentation in classic antigen-presenting cells, whereas in B lymphocytes HLA-DO have been identified as negative regulators of the process. The present report examines whether the negative expression of classic class II molecules in trophoblasts implies negative regulation by HLA-DO. It was revealed by immunofluorescence, confocal microscopy, and subcellular fractionation techniques that human trophoblasts, although not expressing any surface HLA-DR antigens, constitutively express intracellular HLA-DR, HLA-DO, and CD74, but not HLA-DM. Administration of interferon-gamma to the cell culture increased HLA-DR and CD74, induced HLA-DM, but did not alter the expression of HLA-DO and induced HLA-DR release from the cells. These results were confirmed by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction analysis except that HLA-DM mRNA was detected in control cells, indicating a posttranscriptional regulation. Under the same experimental conditions, human monocytes/macrophages were not expressing intracellular HLA-DO while exhibiting significant levels of HLA-DR, HLA-DM, and CD74. The results presented here reveal for the first time expression of HLA-DO in trophoblasts, which can be of great importance in maintaining the class II-negative state in these cells and consequently protecting the fetus from maternal immune attack.

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