RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 HLA-G Expression in the Skin of Patients with Systemic Sclerosis
JF The Journal of Rheumatology
JO J Rheumatol
FD The Journal of Rheumatology
SP 1230
OP 1234
DO 10.3899/jrheum.080552
VO 36
IS 6
A1 ISABELA J. WASTOWSKI
A1 PERCIVAL D. SAMPAIO-BARROS
A1 ELIANE M.I. AMSTALDEN
A1 GUSTAVO MARTELLI PALOMINO
A1 JOÃO FRANCISCO MARQUES-NETO
A1 JANAINA C.O. CRISPIM
A1 ANA C. BIRAL
A1 DIANE M. RASSI
A1 EDGARDO D. CAROSELLA
A1 PHILIPPE MOREAU
A1 EDUARDO A. DONADI
YR 2009
UL http://www.jrheum.org/content/36/6/1230.abstract
AB Objective. To determine HLA-G expression in skin biopsies from patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), and its association with epidemiological, clinical, and laboratory variables and survival. Methods. Paraffin-embedded skin biopsies obtained from 21 SSc patients (14 limited SSc, 7 diffuse SSc) and from 28 healthy controls were studied. HLA-G expression was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Results. HLA-G molecules were detected in 57% of skin biopsies from patients with SSc (9 from limited SSc, 3 from diffuse SSc), whereas no control sample expressed HLA-G (p = 0.000004). In patients, HLA-G molecules were consistently observed within epidermal and some dermal cells. HLA-G expression was associated with a lower frequency of vascular cutaneous ulcers (p = 0.0004), telangiectasias (p = 0.008), and inflammatory polyarthralgia (p = 0.02). After a 15-year followup, SSc patients who exhibited HLA-G survived longer than patients who did not. Conclusion. HLA-G is expressed in skin biopsies from patients with SSc, and this is associated with a better disease prognosis. This suggests a modulatory role of HLA-G in SSc, as observed in other skin disorders.