Multiple sclerosis is accompanied by lack of KIR2DS1 gene: A meta-analysis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a disease in which we can recognize destruction of the myelin that is around nerve cells of brain and spinal cord called as oligodendrocytes. Both genetic and environmental factors play roles in MS. One of these genes is the killer-cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) which expressed on surface of natural killer cells (NKs). These genes have loci (not locus) in human genome, so they inherit as haplotypes. The results of previous studies show that different genes of KIR may affect both susceptibility and resistance to such autoimmune disorders that their pathogenesis in MS is still unclear. Since NKs play key roles in immune tolerance, we intend to perform a meta-analysis for the correlation of KIR genes and MS. We used the software comprehensive meta-analysis for data of totally 568 MS patients and 280 controls. Among the 14 genes of KIR in the human genome, lack of KIR2DS1 is accompanied by MS. No KIR gene found to be a risk factor for MS. Further studies on other molecules of NKs like CD94 and NKG2a is suggested.