KIR2DL2 is an inhibitory killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor expressed on natural killer (NK) cells that recognizes HLA-C1 epitopes and suppresses NK cell cytotoxicity 1. The receptor functions by binding to HLA-C ligands on target cells, delivering inhibitory signals that prevent NK cell-mediated lysis 2. Functionally, KIR2DL2 alleles containing glutamic acid at position 35 (E35) demonstrate stronger inhibitory capacity than those with glutamine (Q35), with enhanced licensing of KIR2DL2+ NK cells attributed to structural stabilization through electrostatic interactions 3. Disease associations reveal complex roles in viral infections: KIR2DL2 may confer protection against HIV-1 infection in some populations 45, while the KIR2DL2/HLA-C1C1 pairing increases SARS-CoV-2 infection risk 6. Additionally, KIR2DL2 prevalence is elevated in classic Kaposi sarcoma patients with HHV-8 infection 7. Clinically, KIR2DL2 represents a B haplotype component that differs qualitatively from the A haplotype KIR2DL3 in genetics and functional effects 1. iPSC-derived NK cells can express KIR2DL2, demonstrating potential therapeutic applications 8.
No tissue expression data available for this gene.