NCR3 (natural cytotoxicity triggering receptor 3) is an NK cell-activating receptor that recognizes ligands including BAG6 and NCR3LG1 to stimulate cytotoxicity against tumor cells and infected cells 1. NCR3 engagement triggers NK cell-mediated killing and promotes dendritic cell maturation through TNFA and IFNG release 2. Beyond NK cells, NCR3 is expressed on MAIT cells and mediates intercellular communication; activated CD8+MAIT cells expressing NCR3 with high CXCR6 expression correlate with superior anti-PD-1 immunotherapy response in non-small cell lung cancer 3. NCR3 variants influence susceptibility to Plasmodium falciparum malaria and severe malarial anemia in children, with specific alleles altering NK cell-mediated parasitic immunity 4. NCR3 expression increases in autoimmune inflammation, particularly rheumatoid arthritis, where upregulation correlates with disease severity 2. Genetic polymorphisms in NCR3 (rs1052248) associate with rheumatoid arthritis disease characteristics and anti-TNF therapy response, with the AA homozygosity linked to adverse outcomes 5. The NCR3-BAG6 axis also mediates muscle-bone synchronization during aging, with exosomal BAG6 from degenerating myocytes communicating with Th17 cells via NCR3 1. Notably, NCR3 is functionally expressed in humans but represents a pseudogene in most laboratory mouse strains, limiting mouse model studies 6.