Figure 1.

NKG2D ligand (NKG2DL) binding activates the cytotoxic potential of effector cells. In response to stressors, human or murine NKG2D ligands are expressed on the surface of target cells. NKG2D ligands bind to the respective NKG2D receptor found on cells such as natural killer (NK) cells or gamma-delta T cells. Utilizing adaptor molecules DAP10 or DAP12 (murine), the signal transducers, PI3K and Grb2, are recruited to the NKG2D-binding domain. Through intracellular signaling cascades, transcriptional activation of target genes associated with effector cell maintenance, including those regulating proliferation, cytotoxicity, and cytokine release, is initiated. Image generated using Biorender.com (accessed on 22 April 2022), licensure certificate available as File S1.