The leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptors (LILR) are a family of receptors possessing extracellular immunoglobulin domains. They are also known as CD85, ILTs and LIR, and can exert immunomodulatory effects on a wide range of immune cells. The human genes encoding these receptors are found in a gene cluster at chromosomal region 19q13.4.
A subset of LILR recognise MHC class I (also known as HLA class I in humans). Of these, the inhibitory receptors LILRB1 and LILRB2 show a broad specificity for classical and non-classical MHC alleles with preferential binding to b2m-associated complexes. In contrast, the activating receptors LILRA1 and LILRA3 prefer b2m-independent free heavy chains of MHC class I, and in particular HLA-C alleles.
^Jones DC, Kosmoliaptsis V, Apps R, Lapaque N, Smith I, Kono A, Chang C, Boyle LH, Taylor CJ, Trowsdale J, Allen RL (Mar 2011). "HLA class I allelic sequence and conformation regulate leukocyte Ig-like receptor binding". J Immunol186 (5): 2990–7. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1003078. PMID21270408.