Human leucocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) and its murine functional homolog Qa2 in the Trypanosoma cruzi Infection

Mediators Inflamm. 2015:2015:595829. doi: 10.1155/2015/595829. Epub 2015 Jan 20.

Abstract

Genetic susceptibility factors, parasite strain, and an adequate modulation of the immune system seem to be crucial for disease progression after Trypanosoma cruzi infection. HLA-G and its murine functional homolog Qa2 have well-recognized immunomodulatory properties. We evaluated the HLA-G 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) polymorphic sites (associated with mRNA stability and target for microRNA binding) and HLA-G tissue expression (heart, colon, and esophagus) in patients presenting Chagas disease, stratified according to the major clinical variants. Further, we investigated the transcriptional levels of Qa2 and other pro- and anti-inflammatory genes in affected mouse tissues during T. cruzi experimental acute and early chronic infection induced by the CL strain. Chagas disease patients exhibited differential HLA-G 3'UTR susceptibility allele/genotype/haplotype patterns, according to the major clinical variant (digestive/cardiac/mixed/indeterminate). HLA-G constitutive expression on cardiac muscle and colonic cells was decreased in Chagasic tissues; however, no difference was observed for Chagasic and non-Chagasic esophagus tissues. The transcriptional levels of Qa2 and other anti and proinflammatory (CTLA-4, PDCD1, IL-10, INF-γ, and NOS-2) genes were induced only during the acute T. cruzi infection in BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. We present several lines of evidence indicating the role of immunomodulatory genes and molecules in human and experimental T. cruzi infection.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Chagas Disease / metabolism*
  • Chagas Disease / parasitology*
  • Genotyping Techniques
  • HLA-G Antigens / genetics
  • HLA-G Antigens / metabolism*
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / genetics
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-10 / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred BALB C
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor / metabolism
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / pathogenicity*

Substances

  • HLA-G Antigens
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Pdcd1 protein, mouse
  • Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor
  • Q surface antigens
  • Interleukin-10