TGFB1 and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: For example, in head-and-neck squamous cell carcinoma patients, the presence of high levels of both TGF-β and soluble MICA (sMICA) had a stronger influence on ex vivo IL-2 cultured NK cells as compared to patient plasma containing high sMICA and low TGF-β levels and were jointly responsible for inhibiting NKG2D expression and cytotoxicity [40,42].