Induction of pulmonary HLA-G expression by SARS-CoV-2 infection

Seliger B, Jasinski-Bergner S, Massa C, Mueller A, Biehl K, Yang B, Bachmann M, Jonigk D, Eichhorn P, Hartmann A, Wickenhauser C, Bauer M (2022)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2022

Journal

Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences Springer

Book Volume: 79

Journal Issue: 11

DOI: 10.1007/s00018-022-04592-9

Abstract

The non-classical human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G exerts immune-suppressive properties modulating both NK and T cell responses. While it is physiologically expressed at the maternal-fetal interface and in immune-privileged organs, HLA-G expression is found in tumors and in virus-infected cells. So far, there exists little information about the role of HLA-G and its interplay with immune cells in biopsies, surgical specimen or autopsy tissues of lung, kidney and/or heart muscle from SARS-CoV-2-infected patients compared to control tissues. Heterogeneous, but higher HLA-G protein expression levels were detected in lung alveolar epithelial cells of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients compared to lung epithelial cells from influenza-infected patients, but not in other organs or lung epithelia from non-viral-infected patients, which was not accompanied by high levels of SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid antigen and spike protein, but inversely correlated to the HLA-G-specific miRNA expression. High HLA-G expression levels not only in SARS-CoV-2-, but also in influenza-infected lung tissues were associated with a high frequency of tissue-infiltrating immune cells, but low numbers of CD8(+) cells and an altered expression of hyperactivation and exhaustion markers in the lung epithelia combined with changes in the spatial distribution of macrophages and T cells. Thus, our data provide evidence for an involvement of HLA-G and HLA-G-specific miRNAs in immune escape and as suitable therapeutic targets for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections.

Authors with CRIS profile

Philip Eichhorn Institute of Pathology Arndt Hartmann Lehrstuhl für Allgemeine Pathologie und Pathologische Anatomie

Involved external institutions

Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg (MLU) DE Germany (DE) Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR) DE Germany (DE) Medizinische Hochschule Hannover (MHH) / Hannover Medical School DE Germany (DE)

How to cite

APA:

Seliger, B., Jasinski-Bergner, S., Massa, C., Mueller, A., Biehl, K., Yang, B.,... Bauer, M. (2022). Induction of pulmonary HLA-G expression by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences, 79(11). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00018-022-04592-9

MLA:

Seliger, Barbara, et al. "Induction of pulmonary HLA-G expression by SARS-CoV-2 infection." Cellular and Molecular Life Sciences 79.11 (2022).

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