| Modification Notes |
The tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR) superfamily represents a growing family of type I transmembrane glycoproteins that are involved in various cellular functions, including proliferation, differentiation and programmed cell death (1–4). These proteins share homology for cysteine-rich repeats in the extracellular ligand binding domain and an intracellular death domain (1–3). Members of the TNFR superfamily transmit signals through protein-protein interactions, and these signals can lead to the activation of either the caspase and Jun kinase pathways, which promote cell death, or the NFkB pathway, which results in cell survival (1). One member of the TNFR superfamily TROY (also designated TAJ) exists as several isoforms, which vary in function (5–7). Full length TROY contains a cytoplasmic tail, which recruits tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) 2 (5). The interaction between TROY and TRAF2 promotes cell survival through the NFkB signaling pathway (5). TROY also exhibits significant homology to Edar, a receptor that determines hair follicle fate, and like Edar, TROY is expressed in the epithelium (5). Specifically, full length TROY mRNA is detected in the epithelium of mouse brain, embryo, heart, lung and liver (5). One truncated version of TROY, designated TNFRSF19, contains a shortened cytoplasmic tail, which prevents TNFRSF19 from activating the NFkB signal transduction pathway (7). |
