KIR/HLA ligand incompatibility in kidney transplantation.
BACKGROUND
The polymorphic family of killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) consists of activating and inhibitory receptors expressed by natural killer (NK) cells and effector T cells that recognize human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands. It has been suggested that KIR/HLA incompatibility exerts beneficial effects in hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.


METHODS
To elucidate whether certain receptor-ligand combinations between recipient KIR and donor HLA antigens lead to enhanced alloreactivity of NK cells associated with acute rejection (aRx) after kidney transplantation, we analyzed the entirety of matches/mismatches between KIR genes and known HLA ligands for aRx patients (n=105) compared to patients with stable renal function (n=119).


RESULTS
Whereas HLA-C ligand incompatibility between donor and recipient has no influence on aRx, grafts derived from donors homozygous for HLA-C group 2 alleles seem to demonstrate a better outcome (P=0.052). Additionally, a higher number of inhibitory receptors in the recipient's genotype (P=0.042), a significant higher number of matches for the receptors KIR2DL2/DS2 (P=0.004), as well as a higher number of mismatches for KIR2DL3 (P=0.014) could be observed for patients with stable renal function.


CONCLUSIONS
Our data illustrate that certain KIR/HLA class I ligand combinations between donor and recipient might influence graft short-term outcome after renal transplantation.
Kunert
Kristina
K
Institute of Medical Immunology, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Berlin, Germany.
Seiler
Marleen
M
Mashreghi
Mir Farzin
MF
Klippert
Katrin
K
Schönemann
Constanze
C
Neumann
Konrad
K
Pratschke
Johann
J
Reinke
Petra
P
Volk
Hans-Dieter
HD
Kotsch
Katja
K
D000208:Acute Disease; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D006648:Histocompatibility / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000276:immunology*; D008024:Ligands; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*
D006680:HLA Antigens; D008024:Ligands; C490245:GEM protein, human; D020559:Monomeric GTP-Binding Proteins