NKG2D ligand 4 (NKG2D ligand 4, NKG2DL4, N2DL-4, retinoic acid early transcript 1E, lymphocyte effector toxicity activation ligand, RAE-1-like transcript 4, RL-4, RAET1E, LETAL, N2DL4, ULBP4, UNQ1867/PRO4303)

Function

• ligand for the NKG2D receptor
• delivers activating signals to NK cells & promotes tumor immune surveillance by inducing the expansion of anti-tumor cytotoxic lymphocytes
• binds to KLRK1/NKG2D
• does not interacts with the CMV glycoprotein UL16

Structure

• belongs to the MHC class I family

Compartment

membrane

Alternative splicing

named isoforms=3

Expression

• predominantly expressed in skin
• also expressed in testis & trachea

Pathology

• up-regulated in tumor cells of different origins
• expression progressively decreased after treatment of tumor cells with retinoic acid

More general terms

• membrane protein
• glycoprotein

Database

• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q8TD07.html