Inhibitory killer immunoglobulin (Ig)-like receptors (KIRs) recognize HLA-C and -B epitopes on target cells, thereby regulating natural killer (NK) cell activity. In 178 patients receiving T-cell-depleted HLA-identical sibling transplants for acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), or myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), analysis of d...

Killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIRs) interact with HLA class I ligands to regulate NK cell development and function. These interactions affect the outcome of unrelated donor hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). We have shown previously that donors with KIR B versus KIR A haplotypes improve the clinical outcome for patients with acute myelogenous leukemia by reducing the incidence of leukem...

Killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are involved in the regulation of natural killer cell cytotoxicity. Within the human genome seventeen KIR genes are present, which all contain a large number of allelic variants. The high level of homology among KIR genes has hampered KIR genotyping in larger cohorts, and determination of gene copy number variation (CNV) has been difficult. We have de...

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) regulate the effector function of natural killer (NK) cells and the subset of T cells with memory phenotype. The number and type of genes that encode KIR receptors substantially varied between individuals and between populations. Specific KIR receptors are known to be associated with certain diseases. The present study was undertaken to investigat...

Membrane potential of aortic endothelial cells under resting conditions is dominated by inward-rectifier K(+) channels belonging to the Kir 2 family. Regulation of endothelial Kir by membrane cholesterol was studied in bovine aortic endothelial cells by altering the sterol composition of the cell membrane. Our results show that enriching the cells with cholesterol decreases the Kir current dens...

Abstract The Drug Resistance Educational Program (PROERD) is Brazil’s most widespread school-based prevention program; its current curriculum based on the North American Keepin’ it REAL (kiR) program. There no evidence of effectiveness PROERD in preventing drug use, pointing to need for further studies understand these findings. aim study was synthesis effect kiR through a systematic review. We...

Interactions between killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands influence development of natural killer (NK) cell repertoire and response to infection, cancer, and allogeneic tissue. As KIRs and HLA class I molecules are highly polymorphic, clinical allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation is predicted to frequently involve KIR mismatch, a...

BACKGROUND Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disease predominantly affecting Mediterranean populations. The gene associated with FMF is the MEFV gene, which encodes for a protein called pyrin. Mutations of pyrin lead to uncontrolled attacks of inflammation, and subclinical inflammation continues during attack-free intervals. Killer cell immunoglobulin...

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) inhibit the cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells by recruitment of the tyrosine phosphatase SHP-1 to immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) sequences in the KIR cytoplasmic tail [1]. The precise steps in the NK activation pathway that are inhibited by KIR are yet to be defined. Here, we have studied whether the initial st...

Inwardly rectifying potassium channels (Kir) are a special subset of potassium selective ion channels which pass potassium more easily into rather than out of the cell. These channels mediate a variety of cellular functions, including control of membrane resting potential, maintenance of potassium homeostasis and regulation of cellular metabolism. Given the existence of fifteen Kir genes in mam...