Open AccessHLA/KIR Restraint of HIV: Surviving the Fittest
Author(s) -
Arman Bashirova,
Rasmi Thomas,
Mary Carrington
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
annual review of immunology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 18.301
H-Index - 301
eISSN - 1545-3278
pISSN - 0732-0582
DOI - 10.1146/annurev-immunol-031210-101332
Subject(s) - biology , human leukocyte antigen , locus (genetics) , immunology , virus , genome wide association study , cd8 , genetics , genetic association , gene , virology , disease , immune system , antigen , genotype , single nucleotide polymorphism , medicine , pathology
Multiple epidemiological studies have demonstrated associations between the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, and more recently the killer cell immunoglobulin-like (KIR) locus has been implicated in differential responses to the virus. Genome-wide association studies have convincingly shown that the HLA class I locus is the most significant host genetic contributor to the variation in HIV control, underscoring a central role for CD8 T cells in resistance to the virus. However, both genetic and functional data indicate that part of the HLA effect on HIV is due to interactions between KIR and HLA genes, also implicating natural killer cells in defense against viral infection and viral expansion prior to initiation of an adaptive response. We review the HLA and KIR associations with HIV disease and the progress that has been made in understanding the mechanisms that explain these associations.