MYD88

Myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 (MYD88) is a is_associated_with::protein that, in humans, is encoded by the MYD88 is_associated_with::gene.

Model organisms
is_associated_with::Model organisms have been used in the study of MYD88 function. The gene was originally discovered and cloned by Dan Liebermann and Barbara Hoffman in mice. In that species it is a universal is_associated_with::adapter protein as it is used by almost all TLRs (except is_associated_with::TLR 3) to activate the is_associated_with::transcription factor is_associated_with::NF-κB. Mal (also known as is_associated_with::TIRAP) is necessary to recruit Myd88 to is_associated_with::TLR 2 and is_associated_with::TLR 4, and MyD88 then signals through IRAK. It also interacts functionally with amyloid formation and behavior in a transgenic mouse model of is_associated_with::Alzheimer's disease. A conditional is_associated_with::knockout mouse line, called Myd88tm1a(EUCOMM)Wtsi was generated as part of the is_associated_with::International Knockout Mouse Consortium program — a high-throughput mutagenesis project to generate and distribute animal models of disease to interested scientists. Male and female animals underwent a standardized is_associated_with::phenotypic screen to determine the effects of deletion. Twenty-one tests were carried out on is_associated_with::homozygous is_associated_with::mutant animals, revealing one abnormality: male mutants had an increased susceptibility to is_associated_with::bacterial infection.

Function
The human ortholog MYD88 seems to function similarly to mice, since the immunological phenotype of human cells deficient in MYD88 is similar to cells  from MyD88 deficient mice. However, available evidence suggests that MYD88 is dispensable for human resistance to common viral infections and to all but a few is_associated_with::pyogenic bacterial infections, demonstrating a major difference between mouse and human immune responses. Mutation in MYD88 at position 265 leading to a change from leucine to proline have been identified in many human lymphomas including ABC subtype of Diffuse Large B-cell Lymphoma and Waldenstrom's Macroglobulinemia

Interactions
Myd88 has been shown to interact with is_associated_with::TLR 4,   is_associated_with::Interleukin 1 receptor, type I,  is_associated_with::RAC1, is_associated_with::IRAK2  and is_associated_with::IRAK1.

Gene polymorphisms
Various single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the MyD88 have been identified and for some of them an association with susceptibility to various infective disease and also with susceptibility to some autoimmune diseases like is_associated_with::ulcerative colitis was found.