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Updated: Jul 7, 2026

A TIRF Microscopy Technique for Real-time, Simultaneous Imaging of the TCR and its Associated Signaling Proteins
Published on: March 22, 2012
Roles for LPS-dependent interaction and relocation of TLR4 and TRAM in TRIF-signaling
Natsuko Tanimura1, Shinichiroh Saitoh, Fumi Matsumoto
1Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Division of Infectious Genetics, The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, 4-6-1 Shirokanedai, Minatoku, Tokyo 108-8639, Japan.
Abstract:
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) activates two distinct signaling pathways inducing production of proinflammatory cytokines or type I interferons (IFNs), respectively. MyD88 and TIRAP/Mal are essential adaptor molecules for the former but not for the latter pathway. In contrast, TRIF/TICAM-1 and TRAM/TICAM-2 are essential for both. TIRAP is a sorting adaptor molecule recruiting MyD88 to activated TLR4 in the plasma membrane. TRAM is thought to bridge between TLR4 and TRIF by physical association. Little is known, however, how TRAM interacts with TLR4 or with TRIF during LPS response. Here, we show that TRAM recruits TRIF to the plasma membrane. Moreover, LPS induces upregulation of TLR4-association with TRAM and their subsequent translocation into endosome/lysosome. The internalized signaling complex consisting of TLR4 and TRAM colocalizes with TRAF3, a signaling molecule downstream of TRIF, in endosome/lysosome. These results suggest that TLR4 activates TRIF-signaling in endosome/lysosome after relocation from the cell surface.
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