dendritic cells bearing hla-g inhibit t-cell activation in type 1 diabetes

hla-g is normally expressed on human trophoblast cells. it is a non-classical mhc molecule class i b. the role of hla-g in diabetic type 1 is not known. we investigated the role of ifn-β in induction hla-g expression on the monocyte derived dendritic cells (dc) in diabetes type 1. treatment of dendritic cell with ifn-β in vitro from diabetic patients (n=20) and normal subjects (n=20) resulted to the production and expression of hla-g on these cells from both groups. however, comparison of dc from the diabetic patients with dc from the controls revealed lower levels of hla-g molecules in dc from diabetic patients. using mixed lymphocyte reaction (mlr), it was found that dc expressing hla-g mediated the inhibition of autologous t cell activation. it is concluded that ifn-β can increase hla-g in dc from diabetic patients; subsequently it may prevent the immune regularly pathway in the diabetic pathogenesis.