title: Reduced frequency of two activating KIR genes in patients with sepsis.
abstract: Natural killer (NK) cell activity is regulated by activating and inhibitory signals transduced by killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). Diversity in KIR gene repertoire among individuals may affect disease outcome. Sepsis development and severity may be influenced by genetic factors affecting the immune response. Here, we examined sixteen KIR genes and their human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands in critical patients, aiming to identify patterns that could be associated with sepsis. Male and female patients (ages ranging between 14 and 94years-old) were included. DNA samples from 211 patients with sepsis and 60 controls (critical care patients with no sepsis) collected between 2004 and 2010 were included and genotyped for KIR genes using the polymerase chain reaction method with sequence-specific oligonucleotide (PCR-SSO), and for HLA genes using the polymerase chain reaction method with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP). The frequencies of activating KIR2DS1 and KIR3DS1 in sepsis patients when compared to controls were 41.23% versus 55.00% and 36.49% versus 51.67% (p=0.077 and 0.037 respectively before Bonferroni correction). These results indicate that activating KIR genes 2DS1 and 3DS1 may more prevalent in critical patients without sepsis than in patients with sepsis, suggesting a potential protective role of activating KIR genes in sepsis.
authors.affiliation: Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Immunology Service, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; School of Pharmacy, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: oliveiralm@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Luciana M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Immunology Service, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Portela
authors.affiliation: Immunology Service, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Joice
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Merzoni
authors.affiliation: Genetics Department, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Juliana D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Lindenau
authors.affiliation: Intensive Care Unit, Pompéia Hospital, Caxias do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando S
authors.initials: FS
authors.lastname: Dias
authors.affiliation: Immunology Service, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jaqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Beppler
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Pietra
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Graebin
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Biosciences, Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clarice S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Alho
authors.affiliation: Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartsmann
authors.affiliation: Experimental Physiopathology Laboratory, Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Universidade do Extremo Sul Catarinense, Criciúma, Brazil; Intensive Care Unit, São José Hospital, Criciúma, Brazil.
authors.forename: Felipe
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Dal-Pizzol
authors.affiliation: Immunology Service, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Luiz Fernando
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Jobim
authors.affiliation: Immunology Service, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil.
authors.forename: Mariana
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jobim
authors.affiliation: Cancer and Neurobiology Laboratory, Experimental Research Center, Porto Alegre Clinical Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil; Department of Pharmacology, Institute for Basic Health Sciences, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Electronic address: rafaelroesler@hcpa.edu.br.
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roesler
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005838:Genotype; D006680:HLA Antigens / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000235:genetics; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D054340:Receptors, KIR / Q000235:genetics*; D018805:Sepsis / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D006680:HLA Antigens; D054340:Receptors, KIR
keywords: Human leukocyte antigen; Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor; Natural killer cell; Sepsis