Anti-MICA/B (Human) mAb (Monoclonal Antibody)

MICA and MICB (Major Histocompatibility Complex class I Chain-related gene A and gene B) bind to the activating immunoreceptor NKG2D. NKG2D is expressed on NK (Natural Killer) cells, NKT cells, γδT cells and CD8⁺αβT cells. Recognition of MICA and MICB by NKG2D is involved in tumor surveillance, immune responses to viral infections and autoimmune diseases. MICA and MICB are transmembrane glycoproteins that are distantly related to the MIC proteins, and they possess three extra-cellular Ig-like domains. And thus, MICA and MICB are closely related but are functionally indistinguishable. MICA and MICB molecules are highly glycosylated, and are detected as a smear band ranging from 65-75 kDa. It is reported that MICA and MICB are highly expressed in variant tumor cells, whereas normal cells express little. Tumor cells have been shown to shed and release MIC molecules from the cell surface. Therefore determination of soluble MIC (sMIC) levels provides valuable information for cancer staging, and sMIC in serum seems to be an indicator for systemic manifestation of malignancy rather than for local tumor extent.