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P07.09-YI

IMPACT OF NATURAL KILLER CELLS RECEPTORS
GENE HAPLOTYPES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF
HEPATOCARCINOMA IN CIRRHOTIC PATIENTS

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Simona Onali * 1 , Roberto Littera , Michele Casale , Francesca Capraro ,
Francesco Figorilli , Cinzia Balestrieri , Giancarlo Serra , Elena Congeddu ,
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Paola Ragatzu , Roberta Maddi , Maria Serra , Valentina Loi , Marcello Trucas ,
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Lucia Barca , Carlo Carcassi , Luchino Chessa 1, 3
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1 Department of Medical Sciences “M.Aresu”, Medical Genetics, Department of Medical Sciences
“M.Aresu”, University of Cagliari, Department of Internal Medicine, Azienda Ospedaliera-
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Universitaria di Cagliari, Bone marrow Transplantation Centre, “R.Binaghi” Hospital, Cagliari,
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Italy
Corresponding author’s email: simona.onali@yahoo.it
Introduction: Impaired natural killer (NK) cells function and distribution have
been observed in patients with hepatocarcinoma(HCC). Killer immunoglobulin-
like receptors(KIRs) are key regulators of NK-mediated immune responses and their ePOSTER ABSTRACTS
expression, which is genetically determined, is highly heterogeneous and regulated by
different aplotypes
Aims: In this study we aimed to analyse the genetic pattern of KIRs and their human
leukocyte antigen(HLA) ligands in cirrhotic patients with and without HCC in order to
identify a potential correlation between the expression of inhibitory/activating KIRs and
tumour presence.
Material and Methods: Cirrhotic patients with and without HCC were included.
The immunogenetic characteristics of the patients were compared to those of healthy
individuals extracted from the Sardinian bone marrow donor registry. High resolution
(4 digits) typing of HLA A, B, C and 14 KIRs gene loci was performed in both patients
and controls. Subjects were divided into 2 groups according to homozygosity for KIR
haplotype A (AA), heterozygosity or homozygosity for KIR haplotype B (Bx). They were
also stratified according to the numbers of activating/inhibitory KIRs, the type of KIRs
related HLA-ligands and the combinations with their receptors.

Results: 113 patients were included: 77(68%) had HCC. HCV infection was the primary
cause of liver disease (77%). Compared to controls, cirrhotic patients showed higher

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