Lymphocyte activation via NKG2D: towards a new paradigm in immune recognition?

Curr Opin Immunol. 2002 Jun;14(3):306-11. doi: 10.1016/s0952-7915(02)00337-0.

Abstract

NKG2D is an activating cell surface receptor expressed on a wide range of immune effector cells including NK cells, NKT cells, gammadelta T cells as well as CD8(+) alphabeta T cells. Recent data indicate two major features: first, that human (MICA, MICB and ULBP) and mouse (Rae1 and H60) NKG2D ligands can be induced and/or upregulated upon cellular distress; and second, that on T cells NKG2D serves as a co-stimulation molecule for TCR triggering, whereas on NK cells NKG2D may act as a primary recognition structure.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carrier Proteins / physiology
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I / physiology
  • Humans
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Killer Cells, Natural / immunology
  • Ligands
  • Lymphocyte Activation*
  • Membrane Proteins
  • Mice
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K
  • Receptors, Immunologic / chemistry
  • Receptors, Immunologic / physiology*
  • Receptors, Natural Killer Cell
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology

Substances

  • Carrier Proteins
  • GPI-Linked Proteins
  • Histocompatibility Antigens Class I
  • Intercellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins
  • KLRK1 protein, human
  • Klrk1 protein, mouse
  • Ligands
  • Membrane Proteins
  • NK Cell Lectin-Like Receptor Subfamily K
  • Receptors, Immunologic
  • Receptors, Natural Killer Cell
  • ULBP1 protein, human
  • ULBP2 protein, human