Spectrum of Clinical Manifestations of SLE Patients from India and Its Correlation with KIR Gene Polymorphism

This study investigated the association between KIR gene polymorphisms and clinical-serological aspects of SLE in 250 Indian patients (230 females, 20 males). The patients, aged 5-53 years, exhibited symptoms such as arthritis (63.6%), alopecia (51%), mucosal ulcers (49.8%), hematological manifestations (44.5%), and Lupus Nephritis (38.5%). The study found that inhibitory KIR genes (2DL1, 2DL5, 3DL2) were significantly reduced in SLE patients, except for 2DL2, which was increased. The activating gene 2DS3 was significantly reduced in patients. KIR haplotype B was the most common in both patients and controls. The findings suggested that certain KIR genes, common in the Indian population, are significantly associated with SLE and could serve as biomarkers for disease severity, indicating a shift towards increased NK cell activation and autoantibody formation.