KLRG1
Killer Cell Lectin Like Receptor G1
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | KLRG1 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Killer Cell Lectin Like Receptor G1 |
| Gene Type | protein-coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 12p13.31 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 10219 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/10219 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000139187 |
| UniProt ID | Q96E93 |
| OMIM ID | 604526 |
| HGNC ID | 6380 |
| Aliases | 2F1, MAFA, MAFA-L, CLEC15A, CD markers: CD363 |
Description
KLRG1 (Killer Cell Lectin Like Receptor G1) is a type II transmembrane glycoprotein belonging to the C-type lectin family. It functions as an inhibitory receptor on natural killer (NK) cells and subsets of T cells, binding to cadherins (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, R-cadherin) to suppress immune activation. KLRG1 is a marker of terminal differentiation and senescence in NK and CD8+ T cells, and its expression is associated with reduced proliferative capacity and effector function. It plays a role in immune regulation during chronic infections, cancer, and aging.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Chronic viral infections (e.g., HIV, HCV, CMV) | KLRG1 upregulation on exhausted CD8+ T cells correlates with impaired antiviral immunity | PMID: 19011622 |
| Cancer (multiple types) | KLRG1+ NK and T cells show reduced cytotoxicity; cadherin-mediated inhibition may promote tumor immune evasion | PMID: 31534048 |
| Aging | Increased KLRG1 expression on NK cells is linked to immunosenescence and reduced NK cell function | PMID: 27559042 |
| Autoimmune diseases (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis) | KLRG1+ T cells may contribute to chronic inflammation and tissue damage | PMID: 23300460 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Spleen | 12.5 | Medium |
| Lung | 8.3 | Low |
| Blood | 15.2 | Medium |
| Bone Marrow | 6.7 | Low |
| Lymph Node | 11.0 | Medium |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| NK-92 | 45.2 | High expression; NK cell line |
| Jurkat | 2.1 | Low expression; T cell line |
| K562 | 1.5 | Very low expression; erythroleukemia |
| THP-1 | 0.8 | Monocytic cell line; minimal expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.346G>A (p.Gly116Arg) | Missense | <0.01% | Unknown functional effect; rare population variant |
| c.523C>T (p.Arg175Trp) | Missense | <0.01% | Potential loss of cadherin binding; not validated |
| c.1-?_*_del | Deletion | <0.001% | Complete loss of protein; likely loss-of-function |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Deletion of entire coding region or nonsense mutations leading to truncated protein; predicted to abrogate inhibitory signaling.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Not reported; no activating mutations described in literature.
Dominant Negative (DN)
Not reported; no dominant-negative variants characterized.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
Pathways
• Natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity (KEGG hsa04650)
• Immunoregulatory interactions between a Lymphoid and a non-Lymphoid cell (Reactome R-HSA-198933)
• Adaptive Immune System (Reactome R-HSA-1280218)
Protein Summary
KLRG1 is a 226-amino acid type II transmembrane protein with a cytoplasmic ITIM-like motif and an extracellular C-type lectin domain. It forms disulfide-linked homodimers on the cell surface. Upon binding to E-cadherin or related cadherins, KLRG1 recruits phosphatases (e.g., SHP-1, SHP-2) to inhibit activating signals in NK and T cells. The protein is a key marker of exhausted or senescent lymphocytes and is being investigated as a target for cancer immunotherapy.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KLRG1 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ6955 | Human | 10219 | Details Get a Quote |
| KLRG1 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ31626 | Human | 10219 | Details Get a Quote |
| KLRG1 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ31627 | Human | 10219 | Details Get a Quote |
| KLRG1 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ31628 | Human | 10219 | Details Get a Quote |
