Aim: To investigate the polymorphism of KIR genes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, and to study the correlation between KIR genes and susceptibility of SLE.
Methods: The polymorphism of KIR genes were detected by PCR-SSP technique in 62 patients with SLE and 61 healthy persons as controls from North of China.
Results: The differences of KIR frequency between the SLE group and the control were tested by statistical analysis. The most frequent genotype was KIR 3DP1, 2DL1, 2DP1, 3DL1, 2DL3, 1D, followed by 2DS4, 2DL5, 3DS1, 2DS2, 2DS5 and 2DL2. KIR 2DS1, 2DS3 and 3DP1v were lower in frequency compared with others. The frequency of KIR 3DS1, 2DL2, 2DL5 and 2DL3 were significantly lower in SLE group than that in the control èP<0.01é.
Conclusion: There may be a association between the polymorphism of KIR genes with SLE in North of China should be investigated further.