Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor

INTRODUCTION During discussion at the WHO Nomenclature Committee for Factors of the HLA System meeting in Victoria, Canada, in May 2002, it was decided to form a subcommittee to coordinate the naming of alleles of the genes encoding the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) [1]. These genes are encoded on chromosome 19 (19q13.4) and have varying degrees of polymorphism. The receptors encoded by the KIR genes are expressed by natural killer (NK) cells and a subset of T cells and some of them have been shown to have specificity for determinants of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I molecules. The extracellular ligand-binding part of KIR consists of two or three immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains. The discussions which took place in Victoria futher to earlier discussions on KIR nomenclature at the NK Polymorphism meeting (27–29 July 2001) in Cambridge, UK. In addition, a request has been made by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) to provide a standardized nomenclature for the expressed protein products of the KIR genes. KIR GENE NOMENCLATURE