ECSIT is an evolutionarily conserved intermediate in the Toll/IL-1 signal transduction pathway

Abstract

Activation of NF-κB as a consequence of signaling through the Toll and IL-1 receptors is a major element of innate immune responses. We report the identification and characterization of a novel intermediate in these signaling pathways that bridges TRAF6 to MEKK-1. This adapter protein, which we have named ECSIT (evolutionarilyconserved signaling intermediate inToll pathways), is specific for the Toll/IL-1 pathways and is a regulator of MEKK-1 processing. Expression of wild-type ECSIT accelerates processing of MEKK-1, whereas a dominant-negative fragment of ECSIT blocks MEKK-1 processing and activation of NF-κB. These results indicate an important role for ECSIT in signaling to NF-κB and suggest that processing of MEKK-1 is required for its function in the Toll/IL-1 pathway.

Keywords

• Signal transduction pathway
• immune response
• signaling intermediate
• Toll pathway
• NF-κB