Purpose: whether killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) and human leukocyte antigens C (HLA-C) are associated with HLA-B27 associated acute anterior uveitis (B27AAU) and idiopathic AAU (IAAU) remains unclear.
Methods: PCR with sequence-specific primers was used to analyze KIR genes and HLA-C alleles in a Chinese Han population of 196AAU patients and 210 control subjects.
Results: The higher frequencies of HLA-C2 and KIR2DL1/HLA-C2 (p = .009 and p = .044, respectively) and the lower frequencies of HLA-C1C1 and HLA-C1 (p = .034 and p = .009, respectively) were observed in B27AAU than control group. The higher frequencies of KIR2DL2 and KIR2DL2/HLA-C1 (p = .009 and p = .044, respectively) and the lower frequencies of KIR2DL3 and KIR2DL3/HLA-C1 (p = .000 and p = .001, respectively) were observed in IAAU than control group.
Conclusions: HLA-C2 and KIR2DL1/HLA-C2, KIR2DL2, and KIR2DL2/HLA-C1 might be susceptible for B27AAU and IAAU, respectively. HLA-C1C1 and HLA-C1, KIR2DL3 and KIR2DL3/HLA-C1 might protect from B27AAU and IAAU, respectively.
Keywords: Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor; acute anterior uveitis; genotype; human leukocyte antigens C.