[Genotype analysis of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors in Graves' disease patients]

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) can modulate the activity of NK and T lymphocyte. To investigate whether the KIR genotype possessing a susceptibility to Graves disease (GD).

Using PCR-SSP to detect KIR genotype in 96 GD patients and 96 randomly selected healthy controls.

The genotype frequency of 2DS2-, 2DL2-, 2DL3+, 2DL1+, 3DL1+, 3DS1-, 2DL5-, 2DS3-, 2DS5-, 2DS1-, 2DS4- was significantly higher in the patient group compared to that of the control group (6.25% vs 0%, P<0.05). Genotype of 2DS2-, 2DL2-, 2DL3+, 2DL1+, 3DL1+, 3DS1-, 2DL5-, 2DS3-, 2DS5-, 2DS1-, 2DS4+ is the most prevalent in the controls (28.13% vs 10.42%, P<0.01). Genotypes without activating KIR genes have higher frequency in patient group.

The difference of KIR genotypes between GD patients and healthy controls may explain the pathogenesis of GD.