Expression of HLA-E molecules in the placental tissue of women infected with HIV-1 and uninfected women

• Autor(a) principal: Martinez, Juliana
• Data de Publicação: 2017
• Outros Autores: Santiago, Mariana Rodrigues, Martelli-Palomino, Gustavo, Souza, Diego Agra de, Alves Silva, Tarsia Giabardo [UNESP], Barros Silva, Gyl Eanes, Chahud, Fernando, Donadi, Eduardo Antonio, Morais Fernandes, Ana Paula
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UNESP
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.placenta.2016.08.082; http://hdl.handle.net/11449/164754
• topic: HLA-E; Expression; Placenta; HIV-1

Introduction: Expression of HLA-E molecule in the placental extravillous trophoblast is associated with immune system cell inhibition, resulting in immune tolerance to fetus during pregnancy. HIV-1 can infect trophoblast cells and modify the expression of HLA-E, which may inhibit the cytotoxic activity of the immune system. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate HLA-E expression in third trimester placental tissue of women infected with HIV-1 and uninfected women. Methods: We performed an immunohistochemistry assay to evaluate HLA-E staining in the placental tissue of 99 HIV-1 infected and 85 uninfected women. A pathologist analyzed and classified the HLA-E expression in the placental cells. Results: Irrespective of the HIV status, HLA-E staining was observed in the extravillous trophoblast cells, endothelial cells and Hofbauer cells, but not in the syncytiotrophoblast. HLA-E staining showed no significant difference between the placental tissue of women infected with HIV-1 and uninfected women (P = 0.76). Considering HIV-1 infected women, HLA-E staining was not influenced by HIV-1 viral load (P = 0.48), CD4(+) T-cell count (P = 0.10) and antiretroviral therapy used during pregnancy (P = 0.54). Discussion: Despite the presence of HIV-1 infection, the expression of HLA-E molecules in the placental tissue was not modified when the infection was under antiretroviral therapy control. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier Ltd.