Polymorphism of KIR gene family in Korean ethnic group of Jilin area

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the polymorphism of natural killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR)gene and the characteristics of its genotypes and haplotypes in Korean ethnic group of Jilin area, and to compare with that of Han nationality. METHODS: DNA samples randomly collected from 214 Han and 160 Korean populations were genotyped with PCR-SSP method, and KIR genotypes and haplotypes were assigned according to the standard model by Hsu et al. RESULTS: All individuals contain KIR 3DL3, KIR 2DL4, KIR 3DL2 with the genotype frequency of 100%; the most common genotypes were 2DL1, 2DL3, 3DL1, 3DP1(*)003 and 2DP1; the genotypes with low frequency were 2DL2, 2DS2, 2DS3, 3DP1(*)001/002/004. Thirty-nine different KIR genotype and 16 haplotypes had been found in Korean and Han individuals. The most common KIR genotypes were AJ and AF with frequency of 18.1%, 19.4% and 31.8%, 19.6%, respectively. The most common KIR haplotype was haplotype 2 with frequency of 41.8% (n = 127) and 51.2% (n = 216) (P < 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSION: KIR gene distribution in Jilin Korean ethnic group showed some common features of KIR gene polymorphisms in Chinese Han population, but also showed this nation's unique characteristics of KIR gene polymorphism.