ULBP1 Specific Neutra™ Antibody Products

UL16 binding protein 1 (ULBP1) is a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored protein that belongs to the ULBP/RAET1 family. This protein is encoded by the ULBP1 gene located on human chromosome 6 and has a unique structure consisting of an α1 and α2 domain like MHC class I molecules. ULBP1 is expressed in various cell types, including epithelial, immune, and tumor cells. Expression of ULBP1 is upregulated in response to cellular stress, such as viral infection or cellular transformation, leading to enhanced recognition and elimination of target cells by the immune system. ULBP1 plays a crucial role in immune responses against tumors and infected cells.

Its Gene ID: 80329, UniProtKB ID: Q9BZM6, and OMIM ID: 605697.

ULBP1 as a Ligand for NKG2D

ULBP1 serves as a stress-induced ligand for the NKG2D receptor, a key activating receptor expressed on NK cells, γδ T cells, and some CD8⁺ T cells. The binding of ULBP1 to NKG2D initiates the activation of downstream signaling pathways, including the DAP10, JAK2, STAT5, ERK, and PI3K/Akt signal transduction pathways.

Fig.1 NKG2D receptor and its ligand.¹

NKG2D/ULBP1 in Immune System

The NKG2D/ULBP1 interaction plays a vital role in the immune system by mediating the recognition and elimination of infected, stressed, or transformed cells. The NKG2D/ULBP1 axis activates cytotoxicity and cytokine production in the immune cells, leading to the targeted destruction of the recognized cells. The expression of ULBP1 on mature DC, together with the presence of NKG2D on antigen-specific T cells in the sentinel lymph nodes of primary melanoma, suggests a role for NGK2D/ULBP1 in the induction or reactivation of tumor-specific T cell responses. Moreover, the NKG2D/ULBP1 axis contributes to immune surveillance, tumor immunosurveillance, and the regulation of immune responses against viral infections, thereby playing a crucial role in maintaining immune homeostasis and defending against various pathological conditions. For example, ULBP1 block by binding of HCMV-encoded UL16 glycoprotein leads CMV-infected cells to escape the immune system. Gastric cancer cells are also found to express ULBP1, indicating that ULBP1 and NKG2D may be useful as prognostic biomarkers in gastric cancer.

Antibodies Targeting ULBP1

Neutralizing antibodies targeting ULBP1 work by blocking the interaction between ULBP1 and the NKG2D receptor, thereby inhibiting the activation of immune cells. For instance, by introducing an anti-ULBP1 polyclonal antibody, human NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity has been studied to show partially reduced or completely blocked. For cancer cells, by neutralizing ULBP1, these antibodies have the potential to suppress immune evasion mechanisms employed by cancer cells and enhance antitumor immune responses. The anti-ULBP1 monoclonal antibody is currently in development for clinical purposes and may provide novel opportunities for the treatment of multiple cancers.

Creative Biolabs offers anti-ULBP1 antibody products with high specificity and affinity to meet your diverse research needs.

REFERENCE

1. Duan, Shixin, et al. "Natural killer group 2D receptor and its ligands in cancer immune escape." Molecular cancer 18 (2019): 1-14. Distributed under Open Access license CC BY 4.0, without modification.