Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University Fort Collins, CO, USA.
Front Immunol. 2013 Apr 16;4:90. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2013.00090. eCollection 2013.
Understanding the Ly49 gene family can be challenging in terms of nomenclature and genetic organization. The Ly49 gene family has two major gene nomenclature systems, Ly49 and Killer Cell Lectin-like Receptor subfamily A (klra). Mice from different strains have varying numbers of these genes with strain specific allelic variants, duplications, deletions, and pseudogene sequences. Some members activate NK lymphocytes, invariant NKT (iNKT) lymphocytes and γδ T lymphocytes while others inhibit killing activity. One family member, Ly49Q, is expressed only on myeloid cells and is not found on NK, iNKT, or γδ T cells. There is growing evidence that these receptors may regulate not just the immune response to viruses, but other intracellular pathogens as well. Thus, this review's primary goal is to provide a guide for researchers first encountering the Ly49 gene family and a foundation for future studies on the role that these gene products play in the immune response, particularly the response to intracellular viral and bacterial pathogens.
理解 Ly49 基因家族在命名法和遗传组织方面具有挑战性。Ly49 基因家族有两个主要的基因命名系统，Ly49 和 Killer Cell Lectin-like Receptor subfamily A (klra)。不同品系的小鼠具有不同数量的基因，具有品系特异性等位基因变体、重复、缺失和假基因序列。一些成员激活 NK 淋巴细胞、不变自然杀伤 (iNKT) 淋巴细胞和 γδ T 淋巴细胞，而另一些则抑制杀伤活性。一个家族成员 Ly49Q 仅在髓样细胞上表达，而不在 NK、iNKT 或 γδ T 细胞上表达。越来越多的证据表明，这些受体可能不仅调节对病毒的免疫反应，还调节其他细胞内病原体的免疫反应。因此，本综述的主要目标是为首次遇到 Ly49 基因家族的研究人员提供指导，并为这些基因产物在免疫反应，特别是对细胞内病毒和细菌病原体的反应中所起作用的未来研究奠定基础。
