Contents

TNF receptor superfamily

Protein superfamily of cytokine receptors

TNFR/NGFR cysteine-rich region
Structure of the soluble human 55 kd TNF receptor-human TNF beta complex.[1]
Identifiers
Symbol	TNFR_c6
Pfam	PF00020
InterPro	IPR011614
PROSITE	PDOC00561
SCOP2	1tnr / SCOPe / SUPFAM
Membranome	6
Available protein structures: Pfam   structures / ECOD   PDB RCSB PDB; PDBe; PDBj PDBsum structure summary

The tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily (TNFRSF) is a protein superfamilyofcytokine receptors characterized by the ability to bind tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) via an extracellular cysteine-rich domain.^[2][3] With the exception of nerve growth factor (NGF), all TNFs are homologous to the archetypal TNF-alpha.^[4] In their active form, the majority of TNF receptors form trimeric complexes in the plasma membrane. Accordingly, most TNF receptors contain transmembrane domains (TMDs), although some can be cleaved into soluble forms (e.g. TNFR1), and some lack a TMD entirely (e.g. DcR3). In addition, most TNF receptors require specific adaptor protein such as TRADD, TRAF, RIP and FADD for downstream signalling. TNF receptors are primarily involved in apoptosis and inflammation, but they can also take part in other signal transduction pathways, such as proliferation, survival, and differentiation. TNF receptors are expressed in a wide variety of tissues in mammals, especially in leukocytes.^[4]

The term death receptor refers to those members of the TNF receptor superfamily that contain a death domain, such as TNFR1, Fas receptor, DR4 and DR5.^[4] They were named after the fact that they seemed to play an important role in apoptosis (programmed cell death), although they are now known to play other roles as well.^[5]

In the strict sense, the term TNF receptor is often used to refer to the archetypal members of the superfamily, namely TNFR1 and TNFR2, which recognize TNF-alpha.

Members[edit]

There are 27 family members, numerically classified as TNFRSF#, where # denotes the member number, sometimes followed a letter.^[2]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• Kavurma MM, Tan NY, Bennett MR (2008). "Death receptors and their ligands in atherosclerosis". Arterioscler Thromb Vasc Biol. 28 (10): 1694–702. doi:10.1161/ATVBAHA.107.155143. PMID 18669890.
• Hatano, E. (2007). "Tumor necrosis factor signaling in hepatocyte apoptosis". J Gastroenterol Hepatol. 22: S43–44. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1746.2006.04645.x. PMID 17567463.

External links[edit]

• Tumor+Necrosis+Factor+Receptor at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)