MICA and Cowden disease: Moreover, in cultured Caco-2 cells specific interaction between bacterial adhesin AfaE-III and DAF leads to increased expression of MHC class 1 related molecule (MICA) suggesting that this host-bacteria interaction pathway could play a role in the pathogenesis of IBD since increased-MICA expression has been found at the surface of colonic epithelial cells in CD-affected patients [33].