• PMID: 21813635
• Gene Name: HLA-G
• Condition: Immunoregulatory role in male reproductive system and in seminal plasma
• Association: Associated
• Sex: Male
• Infertility type: Male infertility
• Other associated phenotypes: Immunoregulatory role in male reproductive system and in seminal plasma

Human leukocyte antigen-G in the male reproductive system and in seminal plasma

Larsen MH, Bzorek M, Pass MB, Larsen LG, Nielsen MW, Svendsen SG, Lindhard A, Hviid TV.

One of the non-classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class Ib proteins, HLA-G, is believed to exert important immunoregulatory functions, especially during pregnancy. The presence of HLA protein in paternal seminal fluid has been suggested to have an influence on the risk of developing pre-eclampsia. We have investigated whether HLA-G protein is present in human seminal plasma and in different tissue samples of the male reproductive system. Western blot technique and a soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) assay were used to detect sHLA-G in human seminal plasma samples. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue samples. We detected sHLA-G protein in seminal plasma, and HLA-G expression in normal testis and in epididymal tissue of the male reproductive system but not in the seminal vesicle. Furthermore, the results indicated a weak expression of HLA-G in hyperplastic prostatic tissue. In summary, several of the findings reported in this study suggest an immunoregulatory role of HLA-G in the male reproductive system and in seminal plasma. FAU - Larsen, Margit Hørup AU - Larsen MH AD - Centre for Immune Regulation and Reproductive Immunology (CIRRI), Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Copenhagen University Hospital (Roskilde) and Roskilde Hospital, 7-13 Køgevej, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark. FAU - Bzorek, Michael AU - Bzorek M FAU - Pass, Malene B AU - Pass MB FAU - Larsen, Lise Grupe AU - Larsen LG FAU - Nielsen, Mette Weidinger AU - Nielsen MW FAU - Svendsen, Signe Goul AU - Svendsen SG FAU - Lindhard, Anette AU - Lindhard A