Activating killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors: Detection, function and therapeutic use.

Killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) have a central role in the control of natural killer (NK) cell function. The functions of the activating KIRs, as compared to those of the inhibitory KIR, have been more difficult to define due to difficulties in antibody-mediated identification and their apparent low affinities for HLA class I. Immunogenetic studies have shown associations of activating KIRs with the outcome of autoimmune diseases, pregnancy-associated disorders, infectious diseases and cancers. Activating KIR are thus thought to have important roles in the control of natural killer cell functions and their role in disease. In this review, we discuss current knowledge on activating KIR, their ligands and, their roles in the pathogenesis and potential therapy of human diseases.

Respuesta inmune post vacunación para la hepatitis B y tuberculosis en niños de 10 años / Immune response after vaccination for hepatitis B and tuberculosis in children under 10

En Cuba, el control de las enfermedades infecciosas constituye una de las estrategias priorizadas del Ministerio de Salud Pública, y en aquellas que para su prevención y erradicación existen vacunas con eficacia y calidad probada, de manera sistemática se orienta conocer su inmunogenicidad mediante estudios longitudinales e intervencionales. En este estudio se incluyeron la antihepatitis B y el BCG; ambas vacunas forman parte del Programa Nacional de Inmunización. Se evaluó la respuesta celular mediante método Inmunoenzimático (ELISA) para la antihepatitis B y observación de la huella para el BCG, a 498 niños de 10 años nacidos en el año 1994, pertenecientes al municipio Consolación del Sur, en la provincia de Pinar del Río, que habían recibido el esquema propuesto para ambas vacunas en la infancia. Se determinó que existió asociación en la respuesta inmune para ambas vacunas pasados 10 años de aplicadas. El normo peso al nacer tuvo un efecto protector para la respuesta inmune del BCG; sin embargo, para la antihepatitis B y el bajo peso al nacer se observó una alta significación estadística en aquellos que no alcanzaron valores de Seroprotección. No obstante, se comprobó la calidad de las vacunas estudiadas, evidenciado por la ausencia de marcadores de infección para ambas enfermedades.

Controlling infectious deseases constitutes one of the top priorities of the Ministry of Public Health in Cuba, and in those diseases that there is an efficient vaccine for prevention and complete elimination, knowing its immunogenicity is oriented by means of interventionist and lifetime research. In this study both, antihepatitis B and BCG were included, constituting also part of the National Program of Immunization. In this study, the cell response was evaluated by means of the inmunoenzimatic method (ELISA) for antihepatitis B, and the observation of scar or trace for BCG in 498 children born in 1994 and living in Consolación del Sur, Pinar del Río province, that had previously received a scheme for both vaccines during their chilhood. Associations in immune responses for both vaccines were determined after 10 years. Newborn with normal weight had a protection effect for BCG immune response, however, for antihepatitis B and low weight newborn, a high statistical significance was observed in those that did not get Seroprotection levels. Despite of this, the quality of the vaccines was proved, evidenced by the absence of infection markers for both diseases.