With respect to expression of the natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCR) NKp30 and NKp46 we found HIV(+) patients to display a significantly lower frequency of NKp30+ NK cells than HCV mono-infected patients and healthy controls, irrespective of HCV co-infection (Fig 5B, left panel), whereas the frequency of NKp46+ NK cells was reduced in all patient cohorts (Fig 5B, right panel). This evidence concerns the gene NCR1 and coinfection.