NKG2D NKR-NK cells

NKG2D NKR-NK cells refers to natural killer (NK) cells that have been engineered or are characterized by the expression of the NKG2D receptor, a key activating receptor in innate immune responses. NKG2D is a transmembrane protein that recognizes stress-induced self-ligands (such as MICA, MICB, ULBP family) on malignant, infected, or stressed cells, triggering NK cell cytotoxicity and cytokine secretion[1][2][3][5][7][8]. NKG2D signaling overrides inhibitory signals, acting as a "master switch" to activate NK cell anti-tumor activity[2]. Engineered NKG2D-expressing NK cells (sometimes called NKG2D CAR-NK or similar) are under investigation as cell therapy agents for cancer immunotherapy, aiming to enhance immune surveillance of tumor cells and overcome immune evasion. The mechanism involves the assembly with adaptor protein DAP10 (in humans), recruitment of PI3K, Grb2-Vav1 complex, and activation of downstream signaling pathways resulting in targeted killing of cancer cells[1][6][7].