Analysis of HLA-G expression in renal tissue in lupus nephritis: a pilot study
File(s)
Supporting Information
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The study aimed to investigate whether HLA-G antigen is expressed in the kidneys of patients affected by lupus nephritis (LN) and whether its detection in renal biopsies could be adopted as a marker of treatment response and prognosis. METHODS: Thirty renal biopsies from patients with LN were selected and analyzed through immunohistochemistry. Laboratory and clinical data were retrospectively collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months and at the latest clinical appointment. A number of patients (63.3%) were treated with rituximab (RTX) +/- methylprednisolone in the induction phase. The expression of HLA-G in glomeruli, tubules and infiltrating cells was examined and compared between lupus patients who achieved either complete or partial renal response and those who did not respond to treatment. RESULTS: HLA-G staining was observed in the glomeruli of 20 of 30 samples from patients with LN. The expression of the antigen was detected in podocytes, along glomerular capillary walls, on parietal glomerular epithelial cells and within the juxtaglomerular apparatus. Seventy per cent of patients whose glomeruli expressed HLA-G achieved partial or complete response at 6 months and 75% at the latest available follow up compared with 30% and 40%, respectively, of those who did not show any expression. The pattern of staining in tubules and infiltrating cells was highly variable precluding any clinical correlation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that HLA-G is expressed in renal tissue in LN. Our retrospective data suggest that its expression could correlate with response to treatment.
Date Issued
2019-07-10
Date Acceptance
2019-06-10
Citation
Lupus, 2019, 28 (9), pp.1091-1100
ISSN
1477-0962
Publisher
SAGE
Start Page
1091
End Page
1100
Journal / Book Title
Lupus
Volume
28
Issue
9
Copyright Statement
© 2019 The Authors. Article reuse guidelines: sagepub.com/journals-permissions. The final, definitive version of this paper has been published in Foschi, V., Bortolotti, D., Doyle, A. F., Stratigou, V., Stephens, L., Trivedi, P., … Pickering, M. C. (2019). Analysis of HLA-G expression in renal tissue in lupus nephritis: a pilot study. Lupus, 28(9), 1091–1100 by Sage Publications Ltd. All rights reserved. It is available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/0961203319860582
Sponsor
Wellcome Trust
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31291846
Grant Number
098476/Z/12/Z
Subjects
HLA-G
Systemic lupus erythematosus
immunohistochemistry
lupus nephritis
rituximab
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Date Publish Online
2019-07-10