Grant: Operating Grant - PA: HIV/AIDS Research Initiative - Biomedical/Clinical Stream

Several recent studies have found that expression of certain combinations from within groups of genes referred to as histocompatibility-linked antigen (HLA) genes or killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes is associated with protection from HIV infection or with slow disease progression. Interactions between genes in these two families controls the function of natural killer cells and can also affect the function of T lymphocytes. We are testing the idea that T lymphocytes attacking the human immunodefiency virus (HIV) work more effectively if they express members of the KIR gene family that interact with HLA genes that the HIV-infected cells also express. If this idea were true, it would provide a mechanistic explanation for the genetic associations reported and introduce new strategies for vaccination against HIV.