02306nas a2200373   4500000000100000008004100001260000900042653001200051653001400063653003800077653003400115653001700149653004000166653001100206653002600217653001200243653001900255100001400274700001200288700001200300700001600312700001100328700001400339700001300353700001700366700002000383245006000403856008000463300001100543490000900554050001700563520133800580022001401918       2013                            d  c201310aAlleles10aCytokines10aGenetic Predisposition to Disease10aGenome-Wide Association Study10aHLA Antigens10aHistocompatibility Antigens Class I10aHumans10aKiller Cells, Natural10aleprosy10aReceptors, KIR1 aJarduli L1 aSell AM1 aReis PG1 aSippert EÂ1 aAyo CM1 aMazini PS1 aAlves HV1 aTeixeira JJV1 aVisentainer JEL00aRole of HLA, KIR, MICA, and cytokines genes in leprosy.  uhttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3722889/pdf/BMRI2013-989837.pdf  a9898370 v2013  aJARDULI 20133 a<p>Many genes including HLA, KIR, and MICA genes, as well as polymorphisms in cytokines have been investigated for their role in infectious disease. HLA alleles may influence not only susceptibility or resistance to leprosy, but also the course of the disease. Some combinations of HLA and KIR may result in negative as well as positive interactions between NK cells and infected host cells with M. leprae, resulting in activation or inhibition of NK cells and, consequently, in death of bacillus. In addition, studies have demonstrated the influence of MICA genes in the pathogenesis of leprosy. Specifically, they may play a role in the interaction between NK cells and infected cells. Finally, pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines have been influencing the clinical course of leprosy. Data from a wide variety of sources support the existence of genetic factors influencing the leprosy pathogenesis. These sources include twin studies, segregation analyses, family-based linkage and association studies, candidate gene association studies, and, most recently, genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The purpose of this brief review was to highlight the importance of some immune response genes and their correlation with the clinical forms of leprosy, as well as their implications for disease resistance and susceptibility. </p>  a2314-6141