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The expression control of activating and inhibitory killer cell Ig-like receptors (KIR) on natural killer (NK) cells is highly relevant for the initiation of NK cell mediated cytolysis and cytokine secretion. Transcription start points of nine human KIR genes from two Caucasian donors and the NK cell line NK3.3 were investigated. To overcome sensitivity problems due to the low abundance of the respective transcripts, a novel protocol, specific amplification of cDNA ends (SPACE) with superior specificity and sensitivity was applied. A total of 235 individual SPACE clones resulting from different KIR genes were analysed and revealed a series of transcription start sites tightly clustered between 10 and 60?bp upstream of the start codon. The comparison of the adjacent putative promoter region of the human, chimpanzee and macaque KIR genes revealed a very high conservation for almost all of the KIR family members. An inter-gene and inter-species comparative approach revealed transcription factor binding sites at regions of maximal homology for all primate KIR genes analysed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural killer (NK) cells keep the surface expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I molecules under surveillance using killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). Virus-infected or aberrant cells are frequently characterized by a reduced surface expression of MHC class I antigens and may therefore be removed by cytolysis. NK cells are heterogeneous with regard to the expression of KIR genes. The resulting subpopulations show distinguishable specificities allowing the recognition of cells lacking varying combinations of MHC class I antigens. The KIR expression pattern in single NK cells has previously been analyzed by Husain and colleagues by cDNA preamplification of CD3− CD56+ single cells and subsequent gene-specific polymerase chain reaction. We show here that the data of this study contain inconsistencies. These inconsistencies are discussed in the context of KIR mRNA abundance and single-cell cDNA amplification efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]