title: Analysis of KIR gene frequencies and HLA class I genotypes in breast cancer and control group.
abstract: Breast cancer is the main cause of cancer-related death among women, with a 0.5% increase in incidence per year. Natural killer cells (NK) are part of the innate immune system recognizing class I HLA molecules on target cells through their membrane receptors, called killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). The aim of our study was to evaluate the association between the KIR genes and HLA alleles in patients with breast cancer and healthy controls. Two hundred thirty patients with breast cancer and 272 healthy controls were typed for HLA class I and KIR genes by PCR-SSO. When both groups were compared, the presence of inhibitory KIR2DL2 receptors was significantly higher in breast cancer patients than in healthy controls. No significant differences were found for HLA-C2 and HLA-Bw4. However, a higher frequency of HLA-C1 in breast cancer patients was observed. These findings suggest a potential role for the KIR gene system in breast cancer. Further studies to confirm this observation are warranted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Immunology, Hospital de Clínicas de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. rjobim@dnareference.com.br
authors.forename: Maria Regina
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Jobim
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jobim
authors.forename: Patrícia H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Salim
authors.forename: Pâmela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Portela
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Jobim
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Leistner-Segal
authors.forename: Ana Cristina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Bittelbrunn
authors.forename: Carlos Henrique
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Menke
authors.forename: Jorge Villanova
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Biazús
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roesler
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartsmann
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics*; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005805:Genes, MHC Class I; D056726:Genetic Association Studies; D005838:Genotype; D015235:HLA-B Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D015236:HLA-C Antigens / Q000235:genetics; D006650:Histocompatibility Testing; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics*; D054343:Receptors, KIR2DL2 / Q000235:genetics; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D015235:HLA-B Antigens; C042388:HLA-Bw4 antigen; D015236:HLA-C Antigens; C048767:HLA-C*02 antigen; C515077:KIR2DL2 protein, human; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D054343:Receptors, KIR2DL2