NKG2D ligand-expressing tumor cell

An "NKG2D ligand-expressing tumor cell" refers to any cancer cell that expresses one or more ligands (such as MICA, MICB, or ULBP family molecules in humans) for the NKG2D receptor, an activating immune receptor on natural killer (NK) cells and subsets of T cells. These stress-induced ligands are typically absent from healthy tissues but are upregulated in response to oncogenic stress, viral infection, or DNA damage and flag the cell for immune recognition. Tumor cells with high NKG2D ligand surface expression can be targeted and killed by NKG2D-expressing immune cells, mediating anti-tumor immunity. However, tumors can exploit this pathway by releasing soluble ligands or inducing chronic ligand expression, which in turn can impair immune function and promote immune evasion or tumor progression in some settings.

Other names

NKG2D-L-positive tumor cellNKG2D ligand+ tumor cellStress ligand-expressing tumor cell

Recognition and killing of NKG2D ligand-expressing tumor cells by NK cells or T cells via the NKG2D receptor. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) may be enhanced on these cells if NKG2D ligand expression upregulates immune activation.