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HLA‐A2 class I antigens in couples with recurrent spontaneous abortions
Author(s) -
Komlos L.,
Klein T.,
Korostishevsky M.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
international journal of immunogenetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.41
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1744-313X
pISSN - 1744-3121
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-313x.2007.00682.x
Subject(s) - human leukocyte antigen , antigen , epitope , locus (genetics) , immunology , immunogenicity , biology , pregnancy , infertility , genetics , gene
Summary Class I human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antigens, locus A and B, were typed in fertile and infertile couples in cases where one of the spouses carried the HLA‐A2 antigen. HLA‐class I typing data were obtained from 282 participants, 63 fertile couples and 78 infertile couples with recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSA). Locus A antigens were grouped into eight broad specificities (A1, A2, A3, A9, A10, A11, A19, A28) and locus B antigens were grouped, according to HLA epitopes, in two classes (BW4 and BW6). Although the number of cases is small, significant differences in the distribution of locus A antigens were found between HLA‐A2–positive (A2 + ) women from fertile and infertile couples. HLA‐A3, A11 and A28 cross‐reacting antigens were absent in women from fertile couples and present in women from infertile couples. HLA‐A19, which is associated with amino acid triplets of low immunogenicity, was significantly more often observed in A2 + fertile than in infertile women. An excess of the BW4 epitope was found in A2 − husbands from infertile couples compared to fertile ones. The results of this study support the idea that in the presence of the HLA‐A2 molecule the distribution of HLA‐A and B loci antigens may be different in fertile couples compared to couples with recurrent spontaneous abortions. It can be suggested that the HLA‐A2 molecule, in context with specific genotypes, may contribute to the overall maternal immune response in normal and disturbed pregnancy.