Lack of association of the KIR and HLA class I ligands with ZIKV infection in south and southeast of Brazil

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Sala Elpidio, Laise Nayana ; de Moraes, Amarilis Giaretta ; Volkweis Langer, Ieda Bernadete ; do Amaral, Greicy Cezar ; Moretti, Maria Luiza ; Garcia, Marcia Teixeira ; Angerami, Rodrigo ; Proenca-Modena, Jose Luiz ; Bispo-dos-Santos, Karina ; Martini, Matheus Cavalheiro ; Parise, Pierina Lorencini ; Ayo, Christiane Maria ; de Mattos, Luiz Carlos ; Brandao, Cinara Cassia ; Nogueira, Mauricio Lacerda ; Mos Vaz Oliani, Denise Cristina ; Junqueira Franco Spegiorin, Ligia Cosentino ; de Lima Neto, Quirino Alves ; Laguila Visentainer, Jeane Eliete

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Memórias do Instituto Oswaldo Cruz; v. 117, p. 9-pg., 2022-01-01.

Abstract

BACKGROUND Zika virus (ZIKV) is an emerging arbovirus associated with foetal malformations and neurological complications. The infection is usually associated with mild symptoms. The comparison between the allelic frequency of polymorphic genes in symptomatic infected individuals in the population can clarify the pathogenic mechanisms of ZIKV. During ZIKV infection, cytokines are produced and natural killer (NK) cells are recruited, whose activation depends on signaling pathways activated by specific receptors, such as killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR). These molecules interact with human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands and are encoded by polymorphic genes. OBJECTIVES This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of allelic variants of the genes encoding the KIR receptors and theirHLA class 1 ligands in 139 symptomatic ZIKV-patients and 170 controls negative for the virus, and to evaluate the role of these variants for ZIKV susceptibility. METHODS KIR and HLA class I genes were genotyped using the polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific oligonucleotide (PCR-SSO) technique. FINDINGS No significant differences in the frequency distribution of KIRs and KIR-HLA in patients compared to controls were observed. MAIN CONCLUSIONS KIR and its MLA ligands might play a minor role in ZIKV infection in the south and southeast Brazilian individuals. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 16/00194-8 - Pathogenesis and neurovirulence of emerging viruses in Brazil
• Grantee: José Luiz Proença Módena
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Young Investigators Grants
• FAPESP's process: 16/05115-9 - Innate and adaptive immune response genes in the Zika virus infection
• Grantee: Luiz Carlos de Mattos
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants