Crespo-Leiro, María GenerosaGrille-Cancela, ZulaikaBarge-Caballero, EduardoDoménech, NievesPaniagua-Martín, María J.Barge-Caballero, Gonzalo2024-01-312023Grille-Cancela, Z.; Barge-Caballero, E.; Suárez-Fuentetaja, N.; Domenech-García, N.; Paniagua-Martín, M.J.; Barge-Caballero, G.; Couto-Mallón, D.; Enríquez-Vázquez, D.; Blanco-Canosa, P.; Pombo-Otero, J.; et al. Soluble HLA-G levels in heart transplant recipients: Dynamics and correlation with clinical outcomes. Transpl. Immunol. 2023, 76, 101771.http://hdl.handle.net/2183/35276[Abstract] Purpose To describe the evolution of the serum levels of soluble HLA-G (s-HLA-G) during the first 12 months after heart transplantation (HT) and to correlate it with clinical outcomes. Methods Observational study based in a single-center cohort of 59 patients who underwent HT between December-2003 and March-2010. Soluble HLA-G levels were measured from serum samples extracted before HT, and 1, 3, 6 and 12 months after HT. The cumulative burden of s-HLA-G expression during the first post-transplant year was assessed by means of the area under the curve (AUC) of s-HLA-G levels over time and correlated with the acute rejection burden –as assessed by a rejection score–, the presence of coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) grade ≥ 1 and infections during the first post-transplant year; as well as with long-term patient and graft survival. Mean follow-up was 12.4 years. Results Soluble HLA-G levels decreased over the first post-transplant year (p = 0.020). The AUC of s-HLA-G levels during the first post-transplant year was higher among patients with infections vs. those without infections (p = 0.006). No association was found between the AUC of s-HLA-G levels and the burden of acute rejection or the development of CAV. Overall long-term survival, long-term survival free of late graft failure and cancer-free survival were not significantly different in patients with an AUC of s-HLA-G levels higher or lower than the median of the study population. Conclusions Soluble HLA-G levels decreased over the first year after HT. Higher HLA-G expression was associated with a higher frequency of infections, but not with the burden of acute rejection or the development of CAV, neither with long-term patient or graft survival.eng© 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Soluble HLA-GHeart transplantationjournal articleembargoed access