title: Activating KIR/HLA complexes in classic Kaposi's Sarcoma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Classic Kaposi's Sarcoma (cKS) is a rare vascular tumor associated with Human Herpesvirus 8 (KSHV) infection, nevertheless not all KSHV-infected individuals have cKS.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated whether particular KIR/HLA receptor/ligand genotypes would be preferentially present in KSHV-infected and uninfected individuals who have or have not developed cKS.
  
  
  METHODS
  KIR/HLA genotypes were analyzed by molecular genotyping in 50 KSHV-infected individuals who did or did not have cKS and in 33 age-and sex-matched KSHV seronegative individuals.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no association of individual KIR, HLA or receptor ligand combinations with KSHV infection. However, activating KIR and KIR/HLA genotypes were significantly more frequent in cKS cases, specifically KIR3DS1, KIR2DS1, and KIR2DS1 with its HLA-C2 ligand.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A nonspecific inflammatory response triggered by activation of NK cells upon KIR-HLA interaction could be associated with the pathogenesis of KS.
authors.affiliation: Don C, Gnocchi Foundation ONLUS,  P, le Morandi  6, 20121 Milan, Italy. mario.clerici@unimi.it.
authors.forename: Franca R
authors.initials: FR
authors.lastname: Guerini
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mancuso
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Agostini
authors.forename: Cristina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Agliardi
authors.forename: Milena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zanzottera
authors.forename: Ambra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernis
authors.forename: Athanasia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tourlaki
authors.forename: Maria G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Calvo
authors.forename: Monica
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bellinvia
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Brambilla
authors.forename: Mario
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Clerici