title: Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) locus profiles in the Tunisian population.
abstract: Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are a family of inhibitory and activatory receptors that are expressed by most natural killer (NK) cells. The KIR gene family is polymorphic: genomic diversity is achieved through differences in gene content and allelic polymorphism. The number of KIR loci has been reported to vary among individuals, resulting in different KIR haplotypes. In this study we report the genotypic structure of KIRs in 267 unrelated and healthy Tunisian subjects by polymerase chain reaction-sequence-specific primer (PCR-SSP) method. All 16 KIR genes were observed in the population with different frequencies; framework genes KIR3DP1 and KIR3DL2 and the nonframework genes KIR2DL1 and KIR2DP1 were present in all individuals. A total of 26 different KIR gene profiles and 54 subgenotypes were observed in the tested population samples. Genotype 1, with a frequency of 36.6%, is the most commonly observed in the Tunisian population. Our results showed that the Tunisian population possesses the previously reported general features of the Caucasian as well as African populations, with some additional interesting differences. Such knowledge of the KIR gene distribution in populations is very useful in the study of associations with diseases and in selection of donors for haploidentical bone marrow transplantation.
authors: Immunogenetic Applied to Cell Therapy Research Unit, Immunohematology and HLA-typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Center of Tunis, Tunisia. Electronic address: meriem.bani@yahoo.com.
authors: Bani
authors: B
authors: Meriem
authors: Immunogenetic Applied to Cell Therapy Research Unit, Immunohematology and HLA-typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Center of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Seket
authors: S
authors: Jihen
authors: Immunogenetic Applied to Cell Therapy Research Unit, Immunohematology and HLA-typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Center of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Kaabi
authors: K
authors: Houda
authors: Immunogenetic Applied to Cell Therapy Research Unit, Immunohematology and HLA-typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Center of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Cherif
authors: C
authors: Ghaya
authors: Immunogenetic Applied to Cell Therapy Research Unit, Immunohematology and HLA-typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Center of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Chaabane
authors: C
authors: Manel
authors: Immunogenetic Applied to Cell Therapy Research Unit, Immunohematology and HLA-typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Center of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Bellali
authors: B
authors: Hedi
authors: Immunogenetic Applied to Cell Therapy Research Unit, Immunohematology and HLA-typing Department, National Blood Transfusion Center of Tunis, Tunisia.
authors: Hmida
authors: H
authors: Slama
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044383:Black People; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D011544:Pseudogenes / Q000235:genetics; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics*; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1 / Q000235:genetics*; D054347:Receptors, KIR3DL2 / Q000235:genetics*; D014416:Tunisia; D044465:White People; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: C093100:KIR2DL1 protein, human; C515084:KIR3DL2 protein, human; D054340:Receptors, KIR; D054342:Receptors, KIR2DL1; D054347:Receptors, KIR3DL2
keywords: Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor; Natural killer cell; Natural killer cell receptors; Tunisian population