Analysis of killer immunoglobulin-like receptor genes in ankylosing spondylitis.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the possible association of killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes, specifically KIR3DL1, KIR3DS1 and KIR3DL2, with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).


METHODS
14 KIR genes were genotyped in 200 UK patients with AS and 405 healthy controls using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes were used to subtype 368 cases with AS and 366 controls for 12 KIR3DL2 alleles. Differences in KIR genotypes and KIR3DL2 allele frequencies were assessed using the chi(2) test.


RESULTS
KIR3DL1 and KIR3DS1 gene frequencies were very similar in cases with AS and controls (odds ratio = 1.5, 95% confidence interval 0.8 to 3.0, and odds ratio = 1.02, 95% confidence interval 0.2 to 5.3, respectively). KIR3DL2 allele frequencies were not significantly different between cases with AS and controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Neither the KIR gene content of particular KIR haplotypes nor KIR3DL2 polymorphisms contribute to AS.
Harvey
D
D
Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences, Botnar Research Centre, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK.
Pointon
J J
JJ
Sleator
C
C
Meenagh
A
A
Farrar
C
C
Sun
J Y
JY
Senitzer
D
D
Middleton
D
D
Brown
M A
MA
Wordsworth
B P
BP
D000483:Alleles; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000379:methods; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics*; D054341:Receptors, KIR3DL1 / Q000235:genetics; D054347:Receptors, KIR3DL2 / Q000235:genetics; D054349:Receptors, KIR3DS1 / Q000235:genetics; D012306:Risk; D013167:Spondylitis, Ankylosing / Q000235:genetics*
C515083:KIR3DL1 protein, human; C515084:KIR3DL2 protein, human; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D054341:Receptors, KIR3DL1; D054347:Receptors, KIR3DL2; D054349:Receptors, KIR3DS1