analysis of hla-g gene expression in b-lymphocytes from chronic lymphocytic leukemia patients

the human leukocyte antigen g (hla-g) molecule exhibits limited tissue distribution, low polymorphism and alternative splicings that generate seven hla-g isoforms. hla-g exerts multiple immunoregulatory functions. recent studies indicate an ectopic up-regulation in tumor cells that may favor their escape from anti-tumor immune responses. this study it is an effort to clarify the presence of hla-g in b-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (b-cll) patients. methods: hla-g mrna expression was studied in a pilot study in circulating b-cll and also healthy controls by reverse transcription (rt)-pcr using a set of pan-hla-gamma primers. results: rt-pcr was performed on b-cells from 74 b-cll patients and 12 healthy controls. the data showed hla-g gene expression in 20% of the b-cll patients. no expression of hla-g could be detected in the healthy control group. conclusion: these data suggest that hla-g is expressed at the gene level in b cells from b-cll patients but not in b cells from healthy controls. further study is required to clarify the role of hla-gamma as a regulatory factor that could affect immune response in b-cll patients.