Abstract
HLA-G is a non-classical MHC Class I molecule that is usually restricted to cytotrophoblasts and other fetal cells in order to protect the fetus from maternal immune responses. However, HLA-G is expressed during viral infections and cancer. The presence of soluble HLA-G, sHLA-G, in serum is noted in various instances of human diseases. Serum HLA-G can serve as a biomarker, which makes it a unique tool in developing confirmatory diagnostics for infectious diseases and cancer. An accurate and early diagnosis of deadly diseases is really important for an early intervention or treatment. The immunosuppressive capabilities of HLA-G make it not only a biomarker for diagnosis but also an excellent target for developing therapeutics. Here, I discuss HLA-G’s potential to be an invaluable tool as a biomarker for diagnostics and a target for therapeutics.
Highlights
Major histocompatibility class I or MHC class I can be divided into two categories: classical and non-classical MHC class I
HLA-G binds to the inhibitory receptors such as ILT-2, ILT-4, KIR2DL4 present on the surface of APCs, NK cells, T-cells and B-cells [2]
ILT2 and ILT4 bind preferentially to HLA-G molecules compared to the classical MHC class I molecules [3]
Summary
Major histocompatibility class I or MHC class I can be divided into two categories: classical and non-classical MHC class I. The classical MHC class I consists of HLA-A, -B, and -C proteins, while HLA-E and HLA-G are considered non-classical MHC class I proteins. HLA-A, -B, and -C present foreign antigen to CD8+ T-cells and result in subsequent cytotoxicity of infected cells. The classical HLA-A, -B, and -C are mostly involved in immune responsive pathways; HLA-G in contrast is an immunosuppressive protein.
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