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Updated: Mar 7, 2026

Preparation and Use of HIV-1 Infected Primary CD4+ T-Cells as Target Cells in Natural Killer Cell Cytotoxic Assays
Published on: March 14, 2011
Activating Killer Immunoglobulin Receptors and HLA-C: a successful combination providing HIV-1 control
Mauro S Malnati1, Elisabetta Ugolotti2, Maria Cristina Monti3
1Unit of Human Virology, Division of Immunology, transplantation and Infectious Diseases IRCCS Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy.
Abstract:
Several studies demonstrated a relevant role of polymorphisms located within the HLA-B and -C loci and the Killer Immunoglobulin Receptors (KIRs) 3DL1 and 3DS1 in controlling HIV-1 replication. KIRs are regulatory receptors expressed at the surface of NK and CD8+ T-cells that specifically bind HLA-A and -B alleles belonging to the Bw4 supratype and all the -C alleles expressing the C1 or C2 supratype. We here disclose a novel signature associated with the Elite Controller but not with the long-term nonprogressor status concerning 2DS activating KIRs and HLA-C2 alleles insensitive to miRNA148a regulation. Overall, our findings support a crucial role of NK cells in the control of HIV-1 viremia.
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