ALTERNATIVELY SPLICED TRANSCRIPT FROM THE MHC NONCLASSICAL CLASS-I HLA-G GENE IN FIRST TRIMESTER TROPHOBLAST AND TERM PLACENTA

HLA-G, a non-classical class I gene, is located within the human major histocompatibility complex locus. It has a tissue-specific expression in trophoblast where the products of HLA-A, -B and -C classical genes are absent. Therefore, the HLA-G gene may have a role during pregnanc y in inducing protection of the semi-allogeneic fetus from recognition and destruction by maternal immune cells. The primary transcript of t he HLA-G gene is alternatively spliced into 6 mRNA forms (HLA-G1 to HL A-G6) 2 of them may encode soluble forms of the HLA-G antigen (HLA-G5 and HLA-G6). In this work, by using reverse transcription polymerase c hain reaction technique, we demonstrate that all transcripts are detec ted in similar amounts, both in the first and third trimester of gesta tion. These results ave discussed in context of putative function of H LA-G antigen isoforms.