Understanding how combinations of HLA and KIR genes influence disease

Abstract

Combinations of HLA and killer cell immunoglobulin–like receptor (KIR) genes have been associated with diseases as diverse as autoimmunity, viral infections, reproductive failure, and now cancer. Much as early observations of disease associations with HLA polymorphism preceded a detailed knowledge of HLA recognition by T cell receptors, the recently reported disease associations with HLA–KIR gene combinations beg for a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms.