The role of TRAF6 in signal transduction and the immune response.

Signals from the IL-1 receptor (IL-1R)/Toll-like receptor (TLR) family and TNF receptor (TNFR) superfamily are critical for regulating the function of antigen-presenting cells such as dendritic cells (DCs). It has been revealed that TNF receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6), a signaling adapter molecule common to the IL-1R/TLR family and TNFR superfamily, is important not only for DC maturation, cytokine production, and T cell stimulatory capacity of DCs in response to TLR ligands (e.g. lipopolysaccharide) or CD40 ligand, but also for the homeostasis of splenic DC subsets.