Analysis of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor genotypes in acute and chronic myeloid leukemia

Authors : Merve Erkoç, Emel Gürkan, Hüseyin Derya Dinçyürek, Suzan Dinkçi, Ozlem Goruroglu Ozturk, Eren Erken
Pages : 496-505
Doi:10.17826/cumj.1611774
View : 54 | Download : 105
Publication Date : 2025-06-30
Article Type : Research Paper
Abstract :Purpose: Interactions between natural killer (NK)-expressed killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) class I molecules determine immune responses against tumour cells. Previous studies have shown that alloreactive potential of NK cells provide a promising treatment option for patients with hematological malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the KIR genes and genotypes in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemias (CML). Materials and Methods: We investigated the frequency of KIR in AML (n=34) and CML (n=56) patients from Southern (Mediterranean) region of Türkiye and compared the results with 100 healthy controls. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequence-specific oligonucleotide (SSO) methods were used to identify KIR genes in peripheral blood samples. Results: We observed an increased frequency of inhibitory KIR2DL3 in myeloid leukemia patients (91.3%) compared to controls (78%). Additionally, the frequency of KIR2DL3 was significantly higher in CML patients compared to controls (93.5% vs. 78%,). Notably, there was also a decreased incidence of inhibitory KIR2DL2 and its activating counterpart KIR2DS2 in CML patients compared to controls (34.8% vs. 52%, both, respectively). Additionally, there was a tendency for inhibitory KIR genes to predominate in patients with myeloid leukemia. Conclusion: Our findings suggest a potential role for the KIR genes in the pathogenesis of myeloid leukemia. Further studies are needed to investigate the relationships between KIR gene polymorphisms and human leukocyte antigen (HLA) ligands in leukemia and the impact of NK cell responses on clinical outcomes.
Keywords : Lösemi, KIR, miyeloid, NK hücresi, genotip

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