In contrast, the levels of other protein variants, including MICA*009 and MICA*008, may be lower on tumor cell surface due to their shedding by metalloproteinases or release into the tumor milieu in extracellular vesicles, reducing target cell interaction with NK cells through the NKG2D receptor, thus affecting NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity. The gene discussed is MICA; the disease is neoplasm.