Rhesus macaque inhibitory and activating KIR3D interact with Mamu-A-encoded ligands

Specific interactions between killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIRs) and MHC class I ligands have not been described in rhesus macaques despite their importance in biomedical research. Using KIR-Fc fusion proteins, we detected specific interactions for three inhibitory KIRs (3DLW03, 3DL05, 3DL11) and one activating KIR (3DS05). As ligands we identified Macaca mulatta MHC (Mamu)-A1- and Mamu-A3-encoded allotypes, among them Mamu-A1*001:01, which is well known for association with slow progression to AIDS in the rhesus macaque experimental SIV infection model. Interactions with Mamu-B or Mamu-I molecules were not found. KIR3DLW03 and KIR3DL05 differ in their binding sites to their shared ligand Mamu-A1*001:01, with 3DLW03 depending on presence of the α1 domain, whereas 3DL05 depends on both the α1 and α2 domains. Fine-mapping studies revealed that binding of KIR3DLW03 is influenced by presence of the complete Bw4 epitope (positions 77, 80-83), whereas that of KIR3DL05 is mainly influenced by amino acid position 77 of Bw4 and positions 80-83 of Bw6. Our findings allowed the successful prediction of a further ligand of KIR3DL05, Mamu-A1*002:01. These functional differences of rhesus macaque KIR3DL molecules are in line with the known genetic diversification of lineage II KIRs in macaques.