Current invention relates to a polynucleotide encoding activating chimeric receptors comprising engineered Natural Killer Group 2 member C (NKG2C) having enhanced affinity for HLA class I histocompatibility antigen alpha chain E (HLA-E)/peptide complex or an extracellular receptor domain of NKG2A coupled to an effector domain. It also relates to NK cells expressing such constructs and the use of these NK cells to induce cytotoxicity. It further exemplifies that the NK cells expressing polynucleotide encoding NKG2C (SIIS)/CD94/DAP12 or NKG2C/CD94/4-1 BB/CD3z showed enhanced NK cytotoxicity against cancer cells.
