Killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) nomenclature report, 2002

During discussion at the World Health Organization (WHO) Nomenclature Committee for Factors of the HLA System meeting in Victoria, Canada in May 2002, it was decided to form a subcommittee to co-ordinate the naming of alleles of the genes encoding the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) (1). These genes are encoded on chromosome 19 (19q13.4) and have varying degrees of polymorphism. The receptors encoded by the KIR genes are expressed by natural killer (NK) cells and a subset of T cells and some of them have been shown to have specificity for determinants of HLA class I molecules. The extracellular ligand-binding part of KIR consists of two or three immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains. The discussions which took place in Victoria are further to earlier discussions on KIR nomenclature at the NK Polymorphism meeting (27-29th July 2001) in Cambridge, UK. In addition, a request has been made by the International Union of Immunological Societies (IUIS) to provide a standardized nomenclature for the expressed protein products of the KIR genes.