title: Cancer treatment and the KIR-HLA system: an overview.
abstract: Accumulating evidence indicates that the success of cancer therapy depends not only on a combination of adequate procedures (surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy) that aim to eliminate all tumor cells, but also on the functional state of the host immune system. HLA and KIR molecules, in particular, are critical to the interactions between tumor cells and both innate and adaptive immune cells such as NK cells and T cells. Different KIR-HLA gene combinations as well as different HLA expression levels on tumor cells associate with variable tumor prognosis and response to treatment. On the other hand, different therapies have different effects on HLA molecules and immune cell functions regulated by these molecules. Here, we provide an overview of the KIR-HLA system, a description of its alterations with clinical relevance in diverse tumor types, and an analysis of the consequences that conventional cancer therapies may have on it. We also discuss how this knowledge can be exploited to identify potential immunological biomarkers that can help to select patients for tailored therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Policlinico - 11, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Leone
authors.affiliation: Bio-Proteomics Facility, Department of Translational Research, Centro di Riferimento Oncologico, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy.
authors.forename: Valli
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Re
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Policlinico - 11, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vacca
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Policlinico - 11, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dammacco
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Oncology, University of Bari Medical School, Policlinico - 11, Piazza G. Cesare, 70124, Bari, Italy. vito.racanelli1@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Vito
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8639-1940
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Racanelli
mesh_terms: D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D054340:Receptors, KIR
keywords: Cancer treatment; HLA; KIR; NK cells; T cells; Tumor immune evasion