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. 2024 Jan 2;13(1):258.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13010258.

Association of KIR Genes with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection in South Koreans

In-Cheol Baek  1 , Eun-Jeong Choi  1 , Hyoung-Jae Kim  1 , Haeyoun Choi  1   2 , Hyoung-Shik Shin  3 , Dong-Gyun Lim  4 , Tai-Gyu Kim  1   2
Affiliations

Association of KIR Genes with Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus Infection in South Koreans

In-Cheol Baek et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) is a lower respiratory tract disease caused by a beta coronavirus (CoV) called MERS-CoV, characterized by a high mortality rate. We aimed to evaluate the association between genetic variation in killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and the risk of MERS in South Koreans.

Methods: KIR genes were genotyped by multiplex polymerase chain reaction with sequence-specific primers (PCR-SSP). A case-control study was performed to identify the odds ratios (OR) of KIR genes for MERS and the association of KIR genes and their ligands, human leukocyte antigens (HLA) genes.

Results: KIR2DS4D and KIR3DP1F showed higher frequencies in the group of all patients infected with MERS-CoV than in the control group (p = 0.023, OR = 2.4; p = 0.039, OR = 2.7). KIR2DL1, KIR2DP1, and KIR3DP1D were significantly associated with moderate/mild (Mo/Mi) cases. KIR2DL2, KIR2DS1, and KIR3DP1F were affected in severe cases. When we investigated the association between KIR genes and their ligands in MERS patient and control groups, KIR3DL1+/Bw4(80I)+, KIR3DL1+/Bw6+, KIR3DL1+/Bw6-, KIR2DS1+/C2+, and KIR3DS+/Bw4(80I)+ were associated with MERS. KIR3DL1+/Bw6- was found in Mo/Mi cases. KIR2DS1+/C2+ and KIR2DS2+/C1+ were found in severe cases.

Conclusion: Further investigations are needed to prove the various immune responses of MERS-CoV-infected cells according to variations in the KIR gene and ligand gene. A treatment strategy based on current research on the KIR gene and MERS-CoV will suggest potential treatment targets.

Keywords: HLA; KIR; Koreans; MERS; immunogenetics; polymorphism.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Risk effects of MERS stages against KIR clusters. OR, odd ratio; OR > 1.0, risk effect; OR < 1.0, protective effect.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Risk effects of MERS stages against NK-target cell interactions. OR, odd ratio; OR > 1.0, risk effect; OR < 1.0, protective effect; Mo/Mi, moderate and mild; −, inhibitory KIRs; +, activating KIRs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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