Collaborative Transplantation Research Group, D06 - Blackburn Building, The University of Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
Int J Biochem Cell Biol. 2009 Dec;41(12):2364-7. doi: 10.1016/j.biocel.2009.07.005. Epub 2009 Jul 22.
NKG2D is an activating immunoreceptor, first recognized on NK cells but subsequently found on gammadelta T cells, CD8(+) alphabeta T cells and macrophages. In NK cells, inhibitory signals are generally dominate over activating signals. However, activating signals mediated through engagement of NKG2D by its ligands on target cells can bypass signals transmitted through inhibitory NK receptors, allowing NKG2D to function as a "master-switch" in determining the activation status of NK cells. NKG2D is important for T cell and NK cell-mediated immunity to viruses and tumours, and has roles in autoimmune disease, allogeneic transplantation, and xenotransplantation. Depending upon the situation, development of strategies to either block or to enhance the interactions between NKG2D and its ligands may have important implications for human health and disease.
NKG2D 是一种激活型免疫受体，最初在 NK 细胞上被识别，但随后在 γδ T 细胞、CD8(+)αβ T 细胞和巨噬细胞上也被发现。在 NK 细胞中，抑制性信号通常占主导地位。然而，通过其配体与靶细胞结合介导的激活信号可以绕过通过抑制性 NK 受体传递的信号，使 NKG2D 能够作为决定 NK 细胞激活状态的“主开关”。NKG2D 对于 T 细胞和 NK 细胞介导的抗病毒和抗肿瘤免疫至关重要，并且在自身免疫性疾病、同种异体移植和异种移植中发挥作用。根据具体情况，开发策略来阻断或增强 NKG2D 与其配体之间的相互作用可能对人类健康和疾病具有重要意义。
