Abstract

description): The long-term goal of this research is to investigate the following hypothesis: Soluble HLA-G derived from placentas has a profound influence on maternal and fetal immunity that benefits semiallogeneic pregnancy. To explore this postulate experimentally, the investigator plans to develop new tools and key preliminary data.
Specific Aims are: 1) To prepare and characterize molecular probes and antibodies for identification of specific HLA-G transcripts and proteins; 2) To: a) develop an in vitro mammalian expression system to produce soluble HLA-G; (b) use the soluble HLA-G to establish an ELISA assay; and c) use the ELISA assay to test sera from nonpregnant and pregnant women for soluble HLA-G; and 3) To determine whether or not the placenta is a source of soluble HLA-G by ascertaining transcript and protein production patterns in specific cell lineages in first trimester and term placentas using in situ hybridization and immunohistology.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD)
Type
Small Research Grants (R03)
Project #
5R03HD035859-02
Application #
2889429
Study Section
Pediatrics Subcommittee (CHHD)
Program Officer
Lock, Allan
Project Start
1998-08-01
Project End
2001-05-31
Budget Start
1999-06-01
Budget End
2001-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1999
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
University of Kansas
Department
Anatomy/Cell Biology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
016060860
City
Kansas City
State
KS
Country
United States
Zip Code
66160

  Publications

Hunt, Joan S; Petroff, Margaret G; McIntire, Ramsey H et al. (2005) HLA-G and immune tolerance in pregnancy. FASEB J 19:681-93
McIntire, Ramsey H; Morales, Pedro J; Petroff, Margaret G et al. (2004) Recombinant HLA-G5 and -G6 drive U937 myelomonocytic cell production of TGF-beta1. J Leukoc Biol 76:1220-8
Morales, Pedro J; Pace, Judith L; Platt, Jeralyn Sue et al. (2003) Placental cell expression of HLA-G2 isoforms is limited to the invasive trophoblast phenotype. J Immunol 171:6215-24
Hunt, J S; Pace, J L; Morales, P J et al. (2003) Immunogenicity of the soluble isoforms of HLA-G. Mol Hum Reprod 9:729-35
Petroff, M G; Chen, L; Phillips, T A et al. (2002) B7 family molecules: novel immunomodulators at the maternal-fetal interface. Placenta 23 Suppl A:S95-101
Langat, Daudi K; Morales, Pedro J; Fazleabas, Asgerally T et al. (2002) Baboon placentas express soluble and membrane-bound Paan-AG proteins encoded by alternatively spliced transcripts of the class Ib major histocompatibility complex gene, Paan-AG. Immunogenetics 54:164-73
Hunt, J S; Petroff, M G; Morales, P et al. (2000) HLA-G in reproduction: studies on the maternal-fetal interface. Hum Immunol 61:1113-7
Chu, W; Gao, J; Murphy, W J et al. (1999) A candidate interferon-gamma activated site (GAS element) in the HLA-G promoter does not bind nuclear proteins. Hum Immunol 60:1113-8