Expression pattern of HLA-G and HLA-DR molecules on lymphocytes of women and their children with septal congenital heart defects

Abstract

The aim of our study was to evaluate the features of HLA-G and HLA-DR expression on lymphocytes of women and their children with congenital heart defects (CHD) under the influence of allogeneic and autologous blood sera.38 women and their children with sporadic septal congenital heart defects (main group) were examined. The comparison groups included 21 women and their children without congenital heart disease (comparison group 1), as well as 17 apparently healthy men (comparison group 2). A total of 115 individuals were examined. The cross-match studies were carried out using a CytoFlex flow cytometer (Beckman Coulter, USA). The effects of autologous and allogeneic blood sera on HLA-G and HLA-DR expression on lymphocytes were evaluated. Statistical processing of the obtained results was carried out using Statistica for WINDOWS software packages from StatSoftInc. Version 10.0 and MedCalc 17.5.3. by the rules of variation statistics.The expression of HLA-G and HLA-DR molecules on the lymphocytes did not significantly change under the influence of autologous serum from men and women of children with CHD. At the same time, in women with more than two births of apparently healthy children, autologous serum significantly suppressed expression of HLA-G and HLA-DR on their lymphocytes. In particular, a pronounced and significant suppression was noted with autologous serum for HLA-DR molecules on CD3-positive lymphocytes. One may suggest that inflammation in the mother-embryo system is limited by this mechanism. Other significant differences concerned the effect of autologous and allogeneic (maternal) sera on the expression of HLA-G and HLA-DR molecules on the children’s lymphocytes. We have shown that in the group of children with septal CHD, autologous and allogeneic sera did not suppress the expression of HLA-G and HLA-DR on lymphocytes. At the same time, in the group of apparently healthy children, autologous and allogeneic (maternal) sera suppressed the expression of HLA-G and HLA-DR on lymphocytes. Moreover, the suppressive effect upon expression of both HLA-G and HLA-DR was significantly higher in allogeneic (maternal) sera than in autologous serum (p < 0.01). This effect seems to be determined by the presence of autoand alloimmune antibodies to HLA-G and HLA-DR molecules in blood serum of multiparous women.The suppressor activity of female sera against allogeneic (embryo / fetus / child) and autologous (intrinsic) HLA-G and HLA-DR antigenic molecules may determine a protective effect related to development of septal congenital heart defects in offspring.