Killer Cell Immunoglobulin Like Receptor 3DL2 (KIR3DL2)

KIR3DL2 encodes a deduced 455-amino acid type I transmembrane protein. Sequence analysis showed a 21-amino acid signal peptide, an extracellular region containing three C2-type Ig-like domains with 3 potential N-linked glycosylation sites, a 20-amino acid hydrophobic transmembrane region, and a 95-amino acid cytoplasmic domain. Pende et al. (1996) also noted that a pair of cysteines just N-terminal of the transmembrane portion could potentially be involved in disulfide bridge formation. By Western blot analysis, Pende et al. (1996) found that KIR3DL2 is expressed as a 140-kD protein under nonreducing conditions or as a 70-kD protein under reducing conditions. Functional analysis showed that HLA-A3 or HLA-A11 but not HLA-A1, HLA-A2, or HLA-A24 molecules could inhibit lysis mediated by NK cells expressing KIR3DL2.