Immune Modulation Through KIR-HLA Interactions Influences Cetuximab Efficacy in Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) remains a major cause of cancer-related mortality. Cetuximab improves survival by combining EGFR inhibition with immune activation. This study evaluated the influence of killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)-mediated immune responses on cetuximab efficacy in 124 metastatic CRC patients: 55 with wild-type (WT) KRAS and 69 with KRAS mutations. Peripheral blood was genotyped for 19 KIR genes and relevant HLA alleles, focusing on key KIR-HLA interactions (2DL1-C2, 3DL1-Bw4, 3DS1-Bw4). KRAS-WT patients showed better outcomes, receiving more treatment cycles (median: 17 vs. 4) and showing slower disease progression (60% vs. 92.8% at 12 months). WT patients had higher frequencies of inhibitory KIRs and the Bw4 allele, with KIR3DS1-Bw4 heterozygosity linked to longer survival (p = 0.013). In KRAS-mutant patients, heterozygous KIR genotypes (AB) and mixed A/B semi-haplotypes were associated with improved survival (p = 0.002). Multivariate analysis confirmed KIR3DS1-Bw4 as a favorable factor in WT patients and AB genotypes as beneficial in KRAS-mutants. In conclusion, KIR-HLA interactions significantly impact cetuximab efficacy in metastatic CRC, with distinct immunogenetic profiles in WT and KRAS-mutant patients. These results highlight the potential of KIR-HLA profiling to guide personalized treatment strategies.