title: Hanging in the balance. KIR and their role in disease.
abstract: The killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) are a recently discovered family of activating and inhibitory receptors that control natural killer (NK) cell function. KIR exist as a diverse family of receptors that have evolved rapidly by both gene duplication and recombination events. These findings were unexpected for a family of genes involved primarily in the innate immune response. These findings together with the observation that several of these genes have human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands, have led to a flurry of investigation into how KIR participate in viral infections, autoimmune diseases and malignancies. This review summarizes the major features of these genes and discusses how they may be involved in both disease pathogenesis and its amelioration.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cancer Sciences, Southampton University School of Medicine, Southampton, UK, SO16 6YD. apw2@soton.ac.uk
authors.forename: Anthony P
authors.initials: AP
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Andrew R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bateman
authors.forename: Salim I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Khakoo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000276:immunology; D019143:Evolution, Molecular; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000276:immunology; D006526:Hepatitis C / Q000276:immunology; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D006801:Humans; D007107:Immune System / Q000502:physiology; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000378:metabolism*; D005810:Multigene Family; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D015395:Histocompatibility Antigens Class I; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic