Soluble Human Leukocyte Antigen-G Expression in Pregnancy Success and Early Pregnancy Loss in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital ()
Affiliation(s)
1Department of Pathology, School of Biomedical and Allied Health Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.
2Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Ghana, Accra,
Ghana.
3Department of Immunology, Noguchi Memorial Institute of Medical Research, Accra, Ghana.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: Human leukocyte antigen G (HLA-G) is a non-classical major histocompatibility complex
(MHC) class Ib antigen characterized by a limited polymorphism. The expression of HLA-G at
immune privileged sites and its ability to inhibit the effectors functions of immune cells has set
HLA-G as a molecule of immune tolerance. This expression pattern is unique among HLA genes
and suggests that HLA-G may be involved in interactions that are critical in establishing and/or
maintaining pregnancy. Methods: Soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) levels were measured using a BioVendor
sHLA-G ELISA kit following the manufacturer’s protocol. The study participants include women
undergoing spontaneous abortion, non-pregnant women, males and an archive sample of
women who had normal vaginal deliveries without any complications and any history of malaria
infection from gestation to delivery. Results: Soluble HLA-G levels were higher among women undergoing
spontaneous abortion as compared to women who had normal vaginal delivery and
non-pregnant women. Soluble HLA-G levels were also higher in second trimester as compared to
first trimester in both women who had spontaneous abortions and women who had normal delivery.
Conclusion: Although sHLA-G levels were higher among women undergoing spontaneous
abortion as compared to non-pregnant women and women who had normal delivery, this may be
playing a role in the maintenance of maternal immune tolerance to fetal antigen, since plasma
sHLA-G levels increased with increasing trimester in both women who had normal delivery and
women undergoing spontaneous abortion.
Share and Cite:
Mubarak, A. , Blebu, I. , Mumuni, K. , Tettey, Y. , Gyasi, R. , Adjei, A. and Ofori, M. (2016) Soluble Human Leukocyte Antigen-G Expression in Pregnancy Success and Early Pregnancy Loss in Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital.
Open Journal of Immunology,
6, 1-6. doi:
10.4236/oji.2016.61001.