Certain Killer Immunoglobulin-Like Receptor (KIR)/KIR HLA Class I Ligand Genotypes Influence Natural Killer Antitumor Activity in Myelogenous Leukemia but Not in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia: A Case Control Leukemia Association Study

OBJECTIVE: Natural killers (NK) cell function is mainly controlled by the expression of killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and their ligation with the corresponding ligands. The objective of this study was to investigate the putative association of KIRs, HLA class I ligands, and KIR/ligand combinations with rates of development of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The KIR/HLA I genotypes of 82 patients with leukemia (ALL, n=52; AML, n=17; and CML, n=13) were determined by PCR-SSP method and compared with genotypes of healthy controls (n=126). RESULTS: KIR genotype frequency differed significantly between myelogenous leukemia patients and healthy controls for KIR2DL5A (17.6% vs. 47.7%, p=0.02), KIR3DS1 (17.6% vs. 47.6%, p=0.02), and KIR2DS4*001 (36.6% vs. 20.2%, p=0.017). The incidence of homozygous HLA-BBw4 (31.0% vs. 12.5%, p=0.042) and HLA-Bw4Thr80 Thr80 (13.0% vs. 1.2%, p=0.01) was significantly elevated in myeloid leukemia patients compared to healthy controls. KIR/HLA class I ligand profile KIR3DS1(+)/L (-) was decreased and KIR3DL2(+)/HLA-A3/11(-) was increased among myeloid leukemia cases compared to controls. CONCLUSION: These data suggest that the activity of NK cells as determined by inherited KIR/HLA class I ligand polymorphisms influences the susceptibility to myelogenous leukemia, but not to lymphoblastic leukemia. Additionally, the KIR genotype characterized by the absence of the inhibitory KIR2DL2 and the activating KIR2DS2 and KIR2DS3 (ID2) was found at a lower frequency in patients compared to controls, which confirmed the need for complex analysis based on all possible KIR/HLA class I ligand polymorphism combinations.