ABSTRACT
Four novel KIR alleles KIR3DL1*0010120, KIR3DS1*01315, KIR3DL3*0020703 and KIR2DL4*0010310 identified using next-generation sequencing.
Subject(s)
Alleles , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Receptors, KIR , Tissue Donors , Humans , India , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Hematopoietic Stem Cells/metabolism , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , Receptors, KIR3DL1/genetics , Exons , Histocompatibility Testing , Genotype , Receptors, KIR3DS1/genetics , Receptors, KIR2DL4/geneticsABSTRACT
This study examines the interplay between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) compatibility and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genotypes in influencing kidney transplantation outcomes. Understanding these interactions is crucial for improving graft survival and minimizing rejection risks. We evaluated 84 kidney transplant recipients, dividing them into two groups based on post-transplant outcomes: there were 68 with stable graft function (SGF) and 16 who experienced chronic rejection (CR). Patients were selected based on specific inclusion criteria. HLA mismatches (Class I: HLA-A, -B; Class II: HLA-DR) and KIR genotypes were determined using standard genotyping techniques. Statistical analyses, including logistic regression, were performed to correlate these factors with transplant outcomes. Significant age differences were observed, with younger patients more likely to experience graft rejection, while no significant gender-based differences were noted. A significant correlation was found between Class II mismatches and increased rejection rates, highlighting the importance of HLA-DR compatibility. Further analysis revealed that certain inhibitory KIRs, such as KIR3DL1, were associated with favorable outcomes, suggesting a protective role against graft rejection. These findings were corroborated by evaluating serum creatinine levels over multiple years, serving as a biomarker for renal function post transplant. This study underscores the critical need for meticulous HLA matching and the consideration of KIR genotypes in pre-transplant evaluations to enhance graft survival and minimize rejection risks. Integrating these genetic factors into routine clinical assessments could significantly improve personalized transplant medicine strategies, ultimately enhancing patient outcomes. Further research is needed to explore the underlying mechanisms and validate these findings in larger, diverse populations.
Subject(s)
Genotype , Graft Rejection , Graft Survival , Kidney Transplantation , Receptors, KIR , Humans , Kidney Transplantation/adverse effects , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Graft Rejection/genetics , Graft Rejection/immunology , Adult , Graft Survival/genetics , Graft Survival/immunology , HLA Antigens/genetics , HLA Antigens/immunology , AgedABSTRACT
The pathogenesis of COVID-19 warrants unravelling. Genetic polymorphism analysis may help answer the variability in disease outcome. To determine the role of KIR and HLA polymorphisms in susceptibility, progression, and severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, 458 patients and 667 controls enrolled in this retrospective observational study from April to December 2020. Mild/moderate and severe/death study groups were established. HLA-A, -B, -C, and KIR genotyping were performed using the Lifecodes® HLA-SSO and KIR-SSO kits on the Luminex® 200™ xMAP fluoroanalyser. A probability score using multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was calculated to estimate the likelihood of severe COVID-19. ROC analysis was used to calculate the best cut-off point for predicting a worse clinical outcome with high sensitivity and specificity. A p ≤ 0.05 was considered statistically significant. KIR AA genotype protected positively against severity/death from COVID-19. Furthermore, KIR3DL1, KIR2DL3 and KIR2DS4 genes protected patients from severe forms of COVID-19. KIR Bx genotype, as well as KIR2DL2, KIR2DS2, KIR2DS3 and KIR3DS1 were identified as biomarkers of severe COVID-19. Our logistic regression model, which included clinical and KIR/HLA variables, categorised our cohort of patients as high/low risk for severe COVID-19 disease with high sensitivity and specificity (Se = 94.29%, 95% CI [80.84-99.30]; Sp = 84.55%, 95% CI [79.26-88.94]; OR = 47.58, 95%CI [11.73-193.12], p < 0.0001). These results illustrate an association between KIR/HLA ligand polymorphism and different COVID-19 outcomes and remarks the possibility of use them as a surrogate biomarkers to detect severe patients in possible future infectious outbreaks.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Receptors, KIR , SARS-CoV-2 , Humans , COVID-19/genetics , COVID-19/immunology , COVID-19/virology , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Male , Female , Middle Aged , SARS-CoV-2/immunology , Pilot Projects , Retrospective Studies , Polymorphism, Genetic , Aged , Genotype , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Adult , Severity of Illness Index , HLA Antigens/geneticsABSTRACT
Introduction: Genetic predisposition to autoimmune encephalitis with antibodies against N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is poorly understood. Given the diversity of associated environmental factors (tumors, infections), we hypothesized that human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR), two extremely polymorphic gene complexes key to the immune system, might be relevant for the genetic predisposition to anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Notably, KIR are chiefly expressed by Natural Killer (NK) cells, recognize distinct HLA class I allotypes and play a major role in anti-tumor and anti-infection responses. Methods: We conducted a Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) with subsequent control-matching using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and HLA imputation, in a multi-ethnic cohort of anti-NMDAR encephalitis (n=479); KIR and HLA were further sequenced in a large subsample (n=323). PCA-controlled logistic regression was then conducted for carrier frequencies (HLA and KIR) and copy number variation (KIR). HLA-KIR interaction associations were also modeled. Additionally, single cell sequencing was conducted in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 16 cases and 16 controls, NK cells were sorted and phenotyped. Results: Anti-NMDAR encephalitis showed a weak HLA association with DRB1*01:01~DQA1*01:01~DQB1*05:01 (OR=1.57, 1.51, 1.45; respectively), and DRB1*11:01 (OR=1.60); these effects were stronger in European descendants and in patients without an underlying ovarian teratoma. More interestingly, we found increased copy number variation of KIR2DL5B (OR=1.72), principally due to an overrepresentation of KIR2DL5B*00201. Further, we identified two allele associations in framework genes, KIR2DL4*00103 (25.4% vs. 12.5% in controls, OR=1.98) and KIR3DL3*00302 (5.3% vs. 1.3%, OR=4.44). Notably, the ligands of these KIR2DL4 and KIR3DL3, respectively, HLA-G and HHLA2, are known to act as immune checkpoint with immunosuppressive functions. However, we did not find differences in specific KIR-HLA ligand interactions or HLA-G polymorphisms between cases and controls. Similarly, gene expression of CD56dim or CD56bright NK cells did not differ between cases and controls. Discussion: Our observations for the first time suggest that the HLA-KIR axis might be involved in anti-NMDAR encephalitis. While the genetic risk conferred by the identified polymorphisms appears small, a role of this axis in the pathophysiology of this disease appears highly plausible and should be analyzed in future studies.
Subject(s)
Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genome-Wide Association Study , HLA Antigens , Killer Cells, Natural , Receptors, KIR , Humans , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism , Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis/genetics , Anti-N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor Encephalitis/immunology , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Female , Male , Adult , HLA Antigens/genetics , HLA Antigens/immunology , Middle Aged , Young AdultABSTRACT
The genetic diversity of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes influences the host's immune response to viral pathogens. This study aims to explore the impact of five single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in KIR3DL2 and HLA-A genes on hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. A total of 2251 individuals were included in the case-control study. SNPs including KIR3DL2 rs11672983, rs3745902, rs1654644, and HLA-A rs3869062, rs12202296 were genotyped. By controlling various confounding factors using a modified logistic regression model, as well as incorporating stratified analysis, joint effects analysis, and multidimensional bioinformatics analysis, we analyzed the relationship between SNPs and HCV infection. The logistic regression analysis showed a correlation between KIR3DL2 rs11672983 AA, KIR3DL2 rs3745902 TT, and increased HCV susceptibility (p < 0.01). Stratified analysis indicated that KIR3DL2 rs1654644 and HLA-A rs3869062 also heightened HCV susceptibility in certain subgroups. A linear trend of rising HCV infection rates was observed when combining KIR3DL2 rs11672983 AA and KIR3DL2 rs3745902 TT (ptrend = 0.007). Bioinformatics analysis suggested these SNPs' regulatory potential and their role in altering messenger RNA secondary structure, implying their functional relevance in HCV susceptibility. Our findings indicate that KIR3DL2 rs11672983 AA and KIR3DL2 rs3745902 TT are significantly associated with increased susceptibility to HCV infection.
Subject(s)
Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Genotype , Hepatitis C , Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide , Humans , Male , Female , Case-Control Studies , Hepatitis C/genetics , Hepatitis C/virology , Hepatitis C/immunology , Middle Aged , Adult , HLA-A Antigens/genetics , Hepacivirus/genetics , Hepacivirus/immunology , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Aged , Receptors, KIR3DL2/geneticsABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Variations in the innate and adaptive immune response systems are linked to variations in the severity of COVID-19. Natural killer cell (NK) function is regulated by sophisticated receptor system including Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) family. We aimed to investigate the impact of possessing certain KIR genes and genotypes on COVID19 severity in Iranians. KIR genotyping was performed on 394 age/sex matched Iranians with no underlying conditions who developed mild and severe COVID- 19. The presence and/or absence of 11 KIR genes were determined using the PCR with sequence specific primers (PCR-SSP). RESULTS: Patients with mild symptoms had higher frequency ofKIR2DS1 (p = 0.004) and KIR2DS2 (p = 0.017) genes compared to those with severe disease. While KIR3DL3 and deleted variant of KIR2DS4 occurred more frequently in patients who developed a severe form of the disease. In this study, a significant increase of and B haplotype was observed in the Mild group compared to the Severe group (respectively, p = 0.002 and p = 0.02). Also, the prevalence of haplotype A was significantly higher in the Severe group than in the Mild group (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the KIR2DS1, KIR2DS, and B haplotype maybe have a protective effect against COVID-19 severity. The results also suggest the inhibitory gene KIR2DL3 and haplotype A are risk factors for the severity of COVID-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Receptors, KIR , SARS-CoV-2 , Severity of Illness Index , Humans , COVID-19/genetics , COVID-19/epidemiology , COVID-19/immunology , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Iran/epidemiology , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Adult , Haplotypes , Genotype , Gene Frequency , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , AgedABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: Recurrent implantation failure (RIF) affects 10% of couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF), spurring exploration into tailored treatments to enhance implantation rates. Maternal immune tolerance towards embryos, particularly killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) on natural killer (NK) cells, is a focal point in RIF research. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study, conducted at fertility clinic in Oradea, Romania, involved 65 infertile couples undergoing IVF treatment between January 2022 and December 2023. Couples were divided into two groups: KIR AA (Group A) and KIR Bx (Group B). Results: Factors such as age, type of infertility, oocytes retrieved, embryos produced, pregnancy rates in Group A without and with immunomodulatory treatment were documented. Group A, receiving immunomodulatory treatment, achieved a pregnancy rate of 47.8%, significantly higher than the 23.73% rate without treatment (p = 0.008). Group B had a higher mean patient age than Group A. However, miscarriage rates did not significantly differ between Group A with treatment and Group B (p = 0.2457), suggesting comparable outcomes with immunomodulation. Conclusions: The impact of immunological factors on recurrent implantation failure is being more and more emphasized and warrants the attention of specialists in human reproduction. Uterine natural killers and their function though KIR receptors deserve particular attention as immunomodulatory treatment may improve pregnancy rates in patients with KIR AA haplotype.
Subject(s)
Fertilization in Vitro , Receptors, KIR , Humans , Fertilization in Vitro/methods , Female , Retrospective Studies , Adult , Pregnancy , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Male , Genotype , Romania , Cohort Studies , Embryo Implantation , Pregnancy RateABSTRACT
The Immuno Polymorphism Database (IPD) plays a pivotal role for immunogenetics. Due to technical limitations, genotyping often focuses on specific key regions like the antigen recognition domain (ARD) for HLA genotyping, and the databases are populated accordingly. More recently, though, modern next generation sequencing (NGS) assays allow using larger gene segments or even complete genes for genotyping. It is therefore essential that the databases are updated with complete genetic reference sequences to fully serve current and future applications. However, the process of manually annotating and submitting full-length allele sequences to IPD is time-consuming and error-prone, which may discourage HLA-genotyping laboratories or researchers from submitting full-length sequences of novel alleles.Here, we detail the process of preparing and submitting novel HLA, MIC, and KIR alleles to ENA and IPD using TypeLoader2, a convenient software tool developed to streamline this process by automating the sequence annotation, the creation of all necessary files, as well as parts of the submission process itself. The software is freely available from GitHub ( https://github.com/DKMS-LSL/typeloader ).
Subject(s)
Alleles , HLA Antigens , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing , Receptors, KIR , Software , Humans , Receptors, KIR/genetics , HLA Antigens/genetics , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods , Databases, Genetic , Computational Biology/methods , Genotype , Polymorphism, GeneticABSTRACT
Introduction: Polymorphisms in the KIR and HLA genes contribute to the diversity of the NK cell repertoire. Extrinsic factors also play a role in modifying this repertoire. The best example is cytomegalovirus, which promotes the expansion of memory-like NK cells. However, the mechanisms governing this phenotypic structure are poorly understood. Furthermore, the influence of age and sex has been understudied. Methods: In this study, we examined these parameters in a cohort of 200 healthy volunteer blood donors, focusing on the major inhibitory KIR receptors and CD94/NKG2A, as well as the differentiation marker CD57 and the memory-like population marker NKG2C. Flow cytometry and two joint analyses, unsupervised and semi-supervised, helped define the impact of various intrinsic and extrinsic markers on the phenotypic structure of the NK cell repertoire. Results: In the KIR NK cell compartment, the KIR3DL1 gene is crucial, as unexpressed alleles lead to a repertoire dominated by KIR2D interacting only with HLA-C ligands, whereas an expressed KIR3DL1 gene allows for a greater diversity of NK cell subpopulations interacting with all HLA class I ligands. KIR2DL2 subsequently favors the KIR2D NK cell repertoire specific to C1/C2 ligands, whereas its absence promotes the expression of KIR2DL1 specific to the C2 ligand. The C2C2Bw4+ environment, marked by strong -21T motifs, favors the expansion of the NK cell population expressing only CD57, whereas the absence of HLA-A3/A11 ligands favors the population expressing only NKG2A, a population highly represented within the repertoire. The AA KIR genotype favors NK cell populations without KIR and NKG2A receptors, whereas the KIR B+ genotypes favor populations expressing KIR and NKG2A. Interestingly, we showed that women have a repertoire enriched in CD57- NK cell populations, while men have more CD57+ NK cell subpopulations. Discussion: Overall, our data demonstrate that the phenotypic structure of the NK cell repertoire follows well-defined genetic rules and that immunological history, sex, and age contribute to shaping this NK cell diversity. These elements can contribute to the better selection of hematopoietic stem cell donors and the definition of allogeneic NK cells for cell engineering in NK cell-based immunotherapy approaches.cters are displayed correctly.
Subject(s)
Cytomegalovirus Infections , Cytomegalovirus , Genotype , Killer Cells, Natural , Receptors, KIR , Humans , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Killer Cells, Natural/metabolism , Female , Male , Adult , Cytomegalovirus Infections/immunology , Cytomegalovirus Infections/genetics , Cytomegalovirus/immunology , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Middle Aged , Sex Factors , Age Factors , CD57 Antigens , Histocompatibility Testing , Young Adult , NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C/genetics , HLA Antigens/genetics , HLA Antigens/immunology , Aged , Receptors, KIR3DL1/geneticsABSTRACT
Polymorphism of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their HLA class I ligands impacts the effector activity of cytotoxic NK cell and T cell subsets. Therefore, understanding the extent and implications of KIR and HLA class I genetic polymorphism across various populations is important for immunological and medical research. In this study, we conducted a high-resolution investigation of KIR and HLA class I diversity in three distinct Chinese ethnic minority populations. We studied the She, Yugur, and Tajik, and compared them with the Zhejiang Han population (Zhe), which represents the majority Southern Han ethnicity. Our findings revealed that the Tajik population exhibited the most diverse KIR copy number, allele, and haplotype diversity among the four populations. This diversity aligns with their proposed ancestral origin, closely resembling that of Iranian populations, with a relatively higher presence of KIR-B genes, alleles, and haplotypes compared with the other Chinese populations. The Yugur population displayed KIR distributions similar to those of the Tibetans and Southeast Asians, whereas the She population resembled the Zhe and other East Asians, as confirmed by genetic distance analysis of KIR. Additionally, we identified 12.9% of individuals across the three minority populations as having KIR haplotypes characterized by specific gene block insertions or deletions. Genetic analysis based on HLA alleles yielded consistent results, even though there were extensive variations in HLA alleles. The observed variations in KIR interactions, such as higher numbers of 2DL1-C2 interactions in Tajik and Yugur populations and of 2DL3-C1 interactions in the She population, are likely shaped by demographic and evolutionary mechanisms specific to their local environments. Overall, our findings offer valuable insights into the distribution of KIR and HLA diversity among three distinct Chinese ethnic minority populations, which can inform future clinical and population studies.
Subject(s)
East Asian People , Ethnic and Racial Minorities , Minority Groups , Receptors, KIR , Humans , Alleles , China , East Asian People/genetics , Ethnicity/genetics , Genotype , Receptors, KIR/geneticsABSTRACT
Mauritian-origin cynomolgus macaques (MCMs) serve as a powerful nonhuman primate model in biomedical research due to their unique genetic homogeneity, which simplifies experimental designs. Despite their extensive use, a comprehensive understanding of crucial immune-regulating gene families, particularly killer Ig-like receptors (KIR) and NK group 2 (NKG2), has been hindered by the lack of detailed genomic reference assemblies. In this study, we employ advanced long-read sequencing techniques to completely assemble eight KIR and seven NKG2 genomic haplotypes, providing an extensive insight into the structural and allelic diversity of these immunoregulatory gene clusters. Leveraging these genomic resources, we prototype a strategy for genotyping KIR and NKG2 using short-read, whole-exome capture data, illustrating the potential for cost-effective multilocus genotyping at colony scale. These results mark a significant enhancement for biomedical research in MCMs and underscore the feasibility of broad-scale genetic investigations.
Subject(s)
Haplotypes , Macaca fascicularis , Receptors, KIR , Animals , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Macaca fascicularis/genetics , NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily C/genetics , Genomics/methods , GenotypeABSTRACT
Optimizing natural killer (NK) cell alloreactivity could further improve outcome after allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT). The donor's Killer-cell Immunoglobulin-like Receptor (KIR) genotype may provide important information in this regard. In the past decade, different models have been proposed aiming at maximizing NK cell activation by activating KIR-ligand interactions or minimizing inhibitory KIR-ligand interactions. Alternative classifications intended predicting outcome after alloHCT by donor KIR-haplotypes. In the present study, we aimed at validating proposed models and exploring more classification approaches. To this end, we analyzed samples stored at the Collaborative Biobank from HLA-compatible unrelated stem cell donors who had donated for patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic neoplasm (MDS) and whose outcome data had been reported to EBMT or CIBMTR. The donor KIR genotype was determined by high resolution amplicon-based next generation sequencing. We analyzed data from 5,017 transplants. The median patient age at alloHCT was 56 years. Patients were transplanted for AML between 2013 and 2018. Donor-recipient pairs were matched for HLA-A, -B, -C, -DRB1, and -DQB1 (79%) or had single HLA mismatches. Myeloablative conditioning was given to 56% of patients. Fifty-two percent of patients received anti-thymocyte-globulin-based graft-versus-host disease prophylaxis, 32% calcineurin-inhibitor-based prophylaxis, and 7% post-transplant cyclophosphamide-based prophylaxis. We tested several previously reported classifications in multivariable regression analyses but could not confirm outcome associations. Exploratory analyses in 1,939 patients (39%) who were transplanted from donors with homozygous centromeric (cen) or telomeric (tel) A or B motifs, showed that the donor cen B/B-tel A/A diplotype was associated with a trend to better event-free survival (HR 0.84, p=.08) and reduced risk of non-relapse mortality (NRM) (HR 0.65, p=.01). When we further dissected the contribution of B subtypes, we found that only the cen B01/B01-telA/A diplotype was associated with a reduced risk of relapse (HR 0.40, p=.04) while all subtype combinations contributed to a reduced risk of NRM. This exploratory finding has to be validated in an independent data set. In summary, the existing body of evidence is not (yet) consistent enough to recommend use of donor KIR genotype information for donor selection in routine clinical practice.
Subject(s)
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , Histocompatibility , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute , Myelodysplastic Syndromes , Receptors, KIR , Humans , Middle Aged , Genotype , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/standards , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy , Ligands , Prognosis , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Myelodysplastic Syndromes/therapyABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: Non-celiac wheat sensitivity (NCWS) is an emerging clinical condition characterized by gastrointestinal and extraintestinal symptoms following the ingestion of gluten-containing foods in patients without celiac disease (CD) or wheat allergy. Despite the great interest for NCWS, the genetic risk factors still need to be fully clarified. In this study, we first assessed the possible contribution of KIR genes and KIR haplotypes on the genetic predisposition to NCWS. METHODS: Fifty patients with NCWS, 50 patients with CD, and 50 healthy controls (HC) were included in this study. KIR genes and KIR genotyping were investigated in all subjects by polymerase chain reaction with the sequence oligonucleotide probe (PCR-SSOP) method using Luminex technology. RESULTS: We found a statistically different distribution of some KIR genes among NCWS, CD, and HC. Specifically, NCWS showed a decreased frequency of KIR2DL1, -2DL3, -2DL5, -2DS2, -2DS3, -2DS4, -2DS5, and -3DS1 genes, and an increased frequency of -3DL1 gene respect to both CD and HC. No difference was detected in the KIR haplotype expression. At the multivariate analysis, KIR2DL5, -2DS4, and -2DS5 were independent predictors of NCWS. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest a role of KIR genes in NCWS susceptibility, with KIR2DL5, -2DS4, and -2DS5 having a protective effect. Further large-scale multicentric studies are required to validate these preliminary findings.
Subject(s)
Genetic Predisposition to Disease , Haplotypes , Receptors, KIR , Wheat Hypersensitivity , Humans , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Female , Male , Adult , Wheat Hypersensitivity/genetics , Middle Aged , Celiac Disease/genetics , Case-Control Studies , Triticum/genetics , Genotype , Young AdultABSTRACT
Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy caused by the clonal expansion of malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow. Myeloma cells are susceptible to killing by natural killer (NK) cells, but NK cells fail to control disease progression, suggesting immunosuppression. The activation threshold of NK-effector function is regulated by interaction between KIRs and self-HLA class I, during a process called "education" to ensure self-tolerance. NK cells can respond to diseased cells based on the absence of HLA class I expression ("Missing-self" hypothesis). The HLA and KIR repertoire is extremely diverse; thus, the present study aimed to characterize potential variances in genotypic composition of HLA Class I NK-epitopes and KIRs between MM patients and healthy controls. Genotypic expression of KIR and HLA (HLA-C group-C1/C2 and Bw4 motifs (including HLA-A*23, A*24, A*32) were analyzed in 172 MM patients and 195 healthy controls. Compared to healthy controls, we did not observe specific KIR genes or genotypes, or HLA NK-epitopes with higher prevalence among MM patients. The presence of all three HLA NK-epitopes (C1+C2+Bw4+) was not associated with MM occurrence. However, MM patients were more likely to be C1-/C2+/Bw4+ (p = 0.049, OR 1.996). In line with this, there was a trend of increased genetic co-occurrence of Bw4 and KIR3DL1 in MM patients (p = 0.05, OR 1.557). Furthermore, MM patients were more likely to genetically express both C2/KIR2DL1 and Bw4/KIR3DL1 (p = 0.019, OR 2.453). Our results reveal an HLA NK-epitope combination that is associated with the occurrence of MM. No specific KIR genotypes were associated with MM.
Subject(s)
Epitopes , Killer Cells, Natural , Multiple Myeloma , Receptors, KIR , Humans , Multiple Myeloma/immunology , Multiple Myeloma/genetics , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Male , Female , Middle Aged , Epitopes/immunology , Aged , Genotype , Adult , Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/genetics , Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/immunologyABSTRACT
Killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) and KIR-ligand (KIRL) interactions play an important role in natural killer cell-mediated effects after haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). Previous work has shown that accounting for known KIR-KIRL interactions may identify donors with optimal NK cell-mediated alloreactivity in the adult transplant setting. Paediatric acute leukaemia patients were retrospectively analysed, and KIR-KIRL combinations and maximal inhibitory KIR ligand (IM-KIR) scores were determined. Clinical outcomes were examined using a series of graphs depicting clinical events and endpoints. The graph methodology demonstrated that prognostic variables significant in the occurrence of specific clinical endpoints remained significant for relevant downstream events. KIR-KIRL combinations were significantly predictive for reduced grade 3-4 aGVHD likelihood, in patients transplanted with increased inhibitory KIR gene content and IM-KIR = 5 scores. Improvements were also observed in associated outcomes for both ALL and AML patients, including relapse-free survival, GRFS and overall survival. This study demonstrates that NK cell KIR HLA interactions may be relevant to the paediatric acute leukaemia transplant setting. Reduction in aGVHD suggests KIR effects may extend beyond NK cells. Moving forward clinical trials utilizing donors with a higher iKIR should be considered for URD HCT in paediatric recipients with acute leukaemia to optimize clinical outcomes.
Subject(s)
Graft vs Host Disease , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , Receptors, KIR , Unrelated Donors , Humans , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Child , Male , Female , Child, Preschool , Graft vs Host Disease/etiology , Graft vs Host Disease/mortality , Graft vs Host Disease/prevention & control , Adolescent , Retrospective Studies , Infant , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/therapy , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/mortality , Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/immunology , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/therapy , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/mortality , Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/immunology , HLA Antigens/immunology , HLA Antigens/geneticsABSTRACT
Pre-eclampsia (PE) is a hypertension condition that occurs exclusively during pregnancy and has the potential to impact nearly all organ systems. It is estimated to complicate approximately 2-8% of pregnancies worldwide. PE is a prominent medical disorder that poses a significant risk to pregnant mothers and their infants. This review commences by giving the most up-to- date concepts about the pathophysiology of PE. The condition involves atypical infiltration of trophoblast cells into the spiral arteries of the decidua and myometrium, resulting in an insufficient establishment of proper blood flow between the uterus and placenta. The aberrant activation of natural killer (NK) cells in both the peripheral blood and the decidua has been identified as one of the contributing factors to the development of PE. The strong evidence for the genetic etiology of PE is provided by the association between maternal killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) and Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA-C) in trophoblast cells. Recent observations provide evidence that changes in the expression of anti-angiogenic factors in the placenta are the underlying cause of the clinical symptoms associated with the condition. This review also provides a comprehensive overview of the latest advancements in understanding the underlying causes of PE. It specifically highlights the emergence of new diagnostic biomarkers and their potential implications for therapeutic interventions in managing this medical condition.
Subject(s)
Biomarkers , Pre-Eclampsia , Animals , Female , Humans , Pregnancy , Biomarkers/analysis , Decidua/immunology , HLA-C Antigens/immunology , HLA-C Antigens/genetics , HLA-C Antigens/metabolism , Killer Cells, Natural/immunology , Placenta/immunology , Placenta/pathology , Pre-Eclampsia/immunology , Pre-Eclampsia/diagnosis , Pre-Eclampsia/therapy , Receptors, KIR/immunology , Receptors, KIR/metabolism , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Trophoblasts/immunologyABSTRACT
Throughout pregnancy, the decidua is predominantly populated by NK lymphocytes expressing Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) that recognize human leukocyte antigen-C (HLA-C) ligands from trophoblast cells. This study aims to investigate the association of KIR-HLA-C phenotypes in couples facing infertility, particularly recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL) and recurrent implantation failure (RIF), in comparison to a reference population and fertile controls. This observational, non-interventional retrospective case-control study included patients consecutively referred to our Reproductive Immunology Unit from 2015 to 2019. We analyzed the frequencies of KIR and HLA-C genes. As control groups, we analyzed a reference Spanish population for KIR analysis and 29 fertile controls and their male partners for KIR and HLA-C combinations. We studied 397 consecutively referred women with infertility and their male partners. Among women with unexplained RPL (133 women) and RIF (176 women), the centromeric (cen)AA KIR genotype was significantly more prevalent compared to the reference Spanish population (p = 0.001 and 0.02, respectively). Furthermore, cenAA was associated with a 1.51-fold risk of RPL and a 1.2-fold risk of RIF. Conversely, the presence of BB KIR showed a lower risk of reproductive failure compared to non-BB KIR (OR: 0.12, p < 0.001). Women and their partners with HLA-C1C1/C1C1 were significantly less common in the RPL-Group (p < 0.001) and RIF-Group (p = 0.002) compared to the control group. Moreover, the combination of cenAA/C1C1 in women with C1C1 partners was significantly higher in the control group than in the RPL (p = 0.009) and RIF (p = 0.04) groups, associated with a 5-fold increase in successful pregnancy outcomes. In our cohort, the cenAA KIR haplotype proved to be a more accurate biomarker than the classic AA KIR haplotype for assessing the risk of RPL and RIF, and might be particularly useful to identify women at increased risk among the heterogeneous KIR AB or Bx population. The classification of centromeric KIR haplotypes outperforms classical KIR haplotypes, making it a better indicator of potential maternal-fetal KIR-HLA-C mismatch in patients.
Subject(s)
Abortion, Habitual , Infertility , Pregnancy , Humans , Male , Female , HLA-C Antigens/genetics , Retrospective Studies , Amino Acid Motifs , Case-Control Studies , Abortion, Habitual/genetics , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Infertility/genetics , BiomarkersABSTRACT
Endometrial cancer (EC) constitutes more than half of all genital cancers in women, with an increasing incidence in different countries. Natural killer cells (NK cells) are kinds of innate immune cells that are controlled by sets of receptors, such as killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIRs), which can inhibit or activate NK cells. In this study, we evaluated the diversity and genetic association of KIRs in confirmed cases of endometrial cancer compared to healthy controls. A total of 151 women with EC and 167 age/race-matched healthy controls were analyzed for KIR genes. Demographic and histopathologic data were gathered in questionnaires, and 16 KIR genes along with two variants of KIR2DS4 (KIR2DS4fl and KIR2DS4del), were genotyped by usingsequence specific primers-polymerase chain reaction (SSP-PCR) method. A comparison between cases and controls revealed that although there were not any significant differences in A haplotype associated genes and also the variants of KIR2DS4 (p >0.05), B haplotype associated genes such as KIR2DS2 and KIR2DL2 decreased significantly in EC patients in comparison with healthy controls (p=0.03 and p=0.01, respectively). Furthermore, we found that EC mostly developed in cases with the AA genotype; however, the carriers of Bx and C4T4 genotypes were less frequent in patients with EC. Our results revealed that KIR2DS2 and KIR2DL2, along with Bx and C4T4 genotypes, have a protective impact against developing endometrial cancer in Iranians.
Subject(s)
Endometrial Neoplasms , Middle Eastern People , Receptors, KIR , Female , Humans , Endometrial Neoplasms/genetics , Gene Frequency , Genetic Variation , Genotype , Iran , Receptors, KIR/geneticsABSTRACT
Transplantation of HLA and/or KIR mismatched allogeneic hematopoietic stem cells can lead NK cells to different states of activation/inhibition or education/resetting and change anti-tumor immunosurveillance. In this study, we used molecular relapse monitoring to investigate a correlation between either missing ligand recognition or variation of the cognate iKIR-HLA pairs with clinical outcomes in patients with hematological malignancies requiring allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Patients (N = 418) with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), chronic myeloid leukemia (CML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), or lymphoma receiving T-cell repleted graft from HLA-matched or partly mismatched unrelated donors between 2012 and 2020 in our center were included in this study. Missing-ligand recognition was assessed through the presence or absence of recipients' HLA ligand for a particular inhibitory KIR (iKIR) exhibited by the donor. Inhibitory KIR-HLA pair number variation was defined by loss or gain of a new cognate pair of HLA-KIR within the new HLA environment of the recipient, compared with the donor's one. Considering the results of our research, we drew the following conclusions: (i) loss of iKIR-HLA cognate pair for C1, C2, and/or Bw4 groups led to significant deterioration of disease-free survival (DFS), molecular relapse, overall survival (OS) and non-relapse mortality (NRM) for patients undergoing allo-HSCT in the standard phase of the disease. This phenomenon was not observed in patients who underwent transplantation in advanced hematological cancer. (ii) The missing ligand recognition had no impact if the proportion of HLA mismatches was not considered; however, adjustments of HLA mismatch level in the compared groups highlighted the adverse effect of the missing ligand constellation. (iii) The adverse effect of adjusted missing ligand suggests a predominance of lost NK cell education over lost NK cell inhibition in posttransplant recipients' new HLA environment. Our results suggested that donors with the loss of an iKIR-HLA cognate pair after transplantation should be avoided, and donors who provided an additional iKIR-HLA cognate pair should be preferred in the allo-HSCT donor selection process.
Subject(s)
Hematologic Neoplasms , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive , Humans , Ligands , Alleles , Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects , Killer Cells, Natural , Hematologic Neoplasms/genetics , Receptors, KIR/genetics , Chronic Disease , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/genetics , Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive/therapy , RecurrenceABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a disabling disease with the underlying pathophysiology of auto-antibodies attacking the postsynaptic acetylcholine receptors of neuromuscular junctions causing muscle weakness. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells that play an important regulative role in immune responses. The human killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) family is one of the receptors on NK cells that can either activate or inhibit NK cells. This study aimed to assess the possible role of KIR and their human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligand genes susceptibility to MG in Iranian patients. METHOD: One hundred and sixty-three patients with MG diagnosis based on the presence of clinical symptoms and laboratory tests and 400 healthy volunteers were studied. We used the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique for genotyping 15 KIRs and 5 HLA genes. RESULTS: The results demonstrated that there was no significant difference in the frequency of KIR genes and inhibitory KIR genotypes between controls and patients. In MG patients, HLA-C1Asn80 was significantly less frequent than in matched controls. The frequency of HLA genotype number 7 was significantly lower in MG cases, compared to the controls. Analysis of activating KIR genotypes showed that genotype number 10 was significantly less frequent in MG cases than in matched controls. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the presence HLA-C1Asn80 might play a protective role against the pathogenesis of MG. The significantly decreased prevalence of one activating KIR genotype and one of the HLA genotypes in MG cases suggest that these genotypes can reduce the risk of MG development. To specifically reveal the impact of KIR and HLA in MG, more studies are required.