These studies delineated two potential mechanisms of immune escape utilized by NB cells, (i) downregulation of surface MICA and MICB that, together with lack of expression of ULBP1 and 3 genes, renders tumor cells undetectable by NKG2D expressing immune effector cells, and (ii) shedding of sMICA, that dampens NK cell-mediated killing of NB cells. The gene discussed is ULBP1; the disease is neuroblastoma.