AUTHOR=Zingoni Alessandra , Vulpis Elisabetta , Cecere Francesca , Amendola Maria G. , Fuerst Daniel , Saribekyan Taron , Achour Adnane , Sandalova Tatyana , Nardone Ilaria , Peri Agnese , Soriani Alessandra , Fionda Cinzia , Mariggiò Elena , Petrucci Maria T. , Ricciardi Maria R. , Mytilineos Joannis , Cippitelli Marco , Cerboni Cristina , Santoni Angela TITLE=MICA-129 Dimorphism and Soluble MICA Are Associated With the Progression of Multiple Myeloma JOURNAL=Frontiers in Immunology VOLUME=Volume 9 - 2018 YEAR=2018 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2018.00926 DOI=10.3389/fimmu.2018.00926 ISSN=1664-3224 ABSTRACT=
Natural killer (NK) cells are immune innate effectors playing a pivotal role in the immunosurveillance of multiple myeloma (MM) since they are able to directly recognize and kill MM cells. In this regard, among activating receptors expressed by NK cells, NKG2D represents an important receptor for the recognition of MM cells, being its ligands expressed by tumor cells, and being able to trigger NK cell cytotoxicity. The MHC class I-related molecule A (MICA) is one of the NKG2D ligands; it is encoded by highly polymorphic genes and exists as membrane-bound and soluble isoforms. Soluble MICA (sMICA) is overexpressed in the serum of MM patients, and its levels correlate with tumor progression. Interestingly, a methionine (Met) to valine (Val) substitution at position 129 of the α2 heavy chain domain classifies the MICA alleles into strong (