ULBP1: UL16 Binding Protein 1 – NKG2D Ligand in Immune Surveillance
A stress-induced ligand for the NKG2D receptor, involved in natural killer cell activation and tumor immune evasion.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | ULBP1 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | UL16 binding protein 1 |
| Gene Type | Protein coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 6q25.1 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 80329 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/80329 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000111981 |
| UniProt ID | Q9BZM6 |
| OMIM ID | 605697 |
| HGNC ID | 17937 |
| Aliases | RAET1I, N2DL-1, NKG2DL1 |
Description
ULBP1 (UL16 binding protein 1) is a member of the ULBP family of glycoproteins that serve as ligands for the NKG2D receptor. It is encoded by a gene located within the MHC class I region on chromosome 6. ULBP1 is expressed on the cell surface in response to cellular stress, infection, or malignant transformation, and its binding to NKG2D activates natural killer (NK) cells and T cells, promoting immune-mediated elimination of stressed or abnormal cells. ULBP1 lacks a transmembrane domain and is anchored via a glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) linkage.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer (various types) | ULBP1 is upregulated on tumor cells, engaging NKG2D to trigger NK cell cytotoxicity; however, tumors may shed soluble ULBP1 to evade immune detection. | PMID: 11509674, PMID: 16920927 |
| Viral infection (e.g., HCMV) | Human cytomegalovirus UL16 protein binds ULBP1, retaining it intracellularly to prevent NKG2D recognition. | PMID: 11509674 |
| Autoimmune diseases | Dysregulated ULBP1 expression may contribute to NK cell-mediated tissue damage. | PMID: 16920927 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Lymph node | 0.4 | Low |
| Spleen | 0.3 | Low |
| Bone marrow | 0.2 | Low |
| Small intestine | 0.1 | Low |
| Testis | 0.1 | Low |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HeLa | 0.5 | Low expression |
| K562 | 1.2 | Moderate expression |
| U937 | 0.8 | Low expression |
| Jurkat | 0.3 | Low expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.1A>G | Missense | <0.1% | Unknown functional effect |
| c.245C>T | Nonsense | <0.1% | Predicted loss of function |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Nonsense mutations leading to truncated protein likely impair GPI anchoring and surface expression.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Not reported.
Dominant Negative (DN)
Not reported.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • transmembrane signaling receptor activity (GO:0004888) | • signaling receptor binding (GO:0005102) |
| • signal transduction (GO:0007165) | • integral component of membrane (GO:0016021) |
| • peptide antigen binding (GO:0042605) | • positive regulation of NK cell mediated cytotoxicity (GO:0043123) |
Pathways
• NKG2D signaling in natural killer cells
• Immune response to tumor cells
• Antigen processing and presentation (cross-presentation)
Protein Summary
ULBP1 is a GPI-anchored cell surface glycoprotein that acts as a stress-induced ligand for the NKG2D receptor. It is expressed at low levels on normal tissues but upregulated on tumor cells and infected cells. Binding to NKG2D activates NK cells and co-stimulates T cells, playing a critical role in immune surveillance. The protein is targeted by viral UL16 protein, which sequesters it intracellularly to evade immune recognition.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ULBP1 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ8767 | Human | 80329 | Details Get a Quote |
| ULBP1 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ36286 | Human | 80329 | Details Get a Quote |
| ULBP1 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ36287 | Human | 80329 | Details Get a Quote |
| ULBP1 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ36288 | Human | 80329 | Details Get a Quote |
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