TRAIL

This article is about the protein in cell biology. For other uses, see Trail (disambiguation).

TNFSF10
Available structures PDB Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB List of PDB id codes 1D0G, 1D2Q, 1D4V, 1DG6, 1DU3, 4N90
Identifiers
Aliases	TNFSF10, APO2L, Apo-2L, CD253, TL2, TRAIL, TNLG6A, tumor necrosis factor superfamily member 10, TNF superfamily member 10
External IDs	OMIM: 603598; MGI: 107414; HomoloGene: 2824; GeneCards: TNFSF10; OMA:TNFSF10 - orthologs
Gene location (Human) Chr. Chromosome 3 (human) Band 3q26.31 Start 172,505,508 bp End 172,523,475 bp
Gene location (Mouse) Chr. Chromosome 3 (mouse) Band 3|3 A3 Start 27,371,177 bp End 27,396,576 bp
RNA expression pattern Bgee Human Mouse (ortholog) Top expressed in nasal epithelium urethra monocyte bronchial epithelial cell jejunal mucosa palpebral conjunctiva renal medulla rectum lower lobe of lung human penis Top expressed in conjunctival fornix mesenteric lymph nodes right kidney right lung lobe submandibular gland proximal tubule lumbar subsegment of spinal cord duodenum jejunum ileum More reference expression data BioGPS More reference expression data
Gene ontology Molecular function cytokine activity metal ion binding protein binding tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily binding tumor necrosis factor receptor binding signaling receptor binding zinc ion binding identical protein binding TRAIL binding Cellular component integral component of membrane membrane integral component of plasma membrane extracellular region extracellular exosome extracellular space plasma membrane Biological process activation of cysteine-type endopeptidase activity involved in apoptotic signaling pathway cell-cell signaling cell surface receptor signaling pathway positive regulation of cysteine-type endopeptidase activity involved in apoptotic process immune response positive regulation of I-kappaB kinase/NF-kappaB signaling positive regulation of release of cytochrome c from mitochondria positive regulation of extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway regulation of extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway via death domain receptors activation of cysteine-type endopeptidase activity involved in apoptotic process signal transduction apoptotic process negative regulation of extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway via death domain receptors positive regulation of apoptotic process male gonad development response to insulin regulation of signaling receptor activity Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs Species Human Mouse Entrez 8743 22035 Ensembl ENSG00000121858 ENSMUSG00000039304 UniProt P50591 P50592 RefSeq (mRNA) NM_001190942 NM_001190943 NM_003810 NM_009425 RefSeq (protein) NP_001177871 NP_001177872 NP_003801 NP_033451 Location (UCSC) Chr 3: 172.51 – 172.52 Mb Chr 3: 27.37 – 27.4 Mb PubMed search
Wikidata
View/Edit Human View/Edit Mouse

In the field of cell biology, TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), is a protein functioning as a ligand that induces the process of cell death called apoptosis.

TRAIL is a cytokine that is produced and secreted by most normal tissue cells. It causes apoptosis primarily in tumor cells, by binding to certain death receptors. TRAIL and its receptors have been used as the targets of several anti-cancer therapeutics since the mid-1990s, such as Mapatumumab. However, as of 2013, these have not shown significant survival benefit. TRAIL has also been implicated as a pathogenic or protective factor in various pulmonary diseases, particularly pulmonary arterial hypertension.

TRAIL has also been designated CD253 (cluster of differentiation 253) and TNFSF10 (tumor necrosis factor (ligand) superfamily, member 10).

Gene

In humans, the gene that encodes TRAIL is located at chromosome 3q26, which is not close to other TNF family members. The genomic structure of the TRAIL gene spans approximately 20 kb and is composed of five exonic segments 222, 138, 42, 106, and 1245 nucleotides and four introns of approximately 8.2, 3.2, 2.3 and 2.3 kb.

The TRAIL gene lacks TATA and CAAT boxes and the promoter region contains putative response elements for transcription factors GATA, AP-1, C/EBP, SP-1, OCT-1, AP3, PEA3, CF-1, and ISRE.

The TRAIL gene as a drug target

TIC10 (which causes expression of TRAIL) was investigated in mice with various tumour types.

Small molecule ONC201 causes expression of TRAIL which kills some cancer cells.

Structure

TRAIL shows homology to other members of the tumor necrosis factor superfamily. It is composed of 281 amino acids and has characteristics of a type II transmembrane protein. The N-terminal cytoplasmic domain is not conserved across family members, however, the C-terminal extracellular domain is conserved and can be proteolytically cleaved from the cell surface. TRAIL forms a homotrimer that binds three receptor molecules.

Function

TRAIL binds to the death receptors DR4 (TRAIL-RI) and DR5 (TRAIL-RII). The process of apoptosis is caspase-8-dependent. Caspase-8 activates downstream effector caspases including procaspase-3, -6, and -7, leading to activation of specific kinases. TRAIL also binds the receptors DcR1 and DcR2, which do not contain a cytoplasmic domain (DcR1) or contain a truncated death domain (DcR2). DcR1 functions as a TRAIL-neutralizing decoy-receptor. The cytoplasmic domain of DcR2 is functional and activates NFkappaB. In cells expressing DcR2, TRAIL binding therefore activates NFkappaB, leading to transcription of genes known to antagonize the death signaling pathway and/or to promote inflammation. Application of engineered ligands that have variable affinity for different death (DR4 and DR5) and decoy receptors (DCR1 and DCR2) may allow selective targeting of cancer cells by controlling activation of Type 1/Type 2 pathways of cell death and single cell fluctuations. Luminescent iridium complex-peptide hybrids, which mimic TRAIL, have recently been synthesized in vitro. These artificial TRAIL mimics bind to DR4/DR5 on cancer cells and induce cell death via both apoptosis and necrosis, which makes them a potential candidate for anticancer drug development.

The TRAIL receptors as a drug target

In clinical trials only a small proportion of cancer patients responded to various drugs that targeted TRAIL death receptors. Many cancer cell lines develop resistance to TRAIL and limits the efficacy of TRAIL-based therapies.

Interactions

TRAIL has been shown to interact with TNFRSF10B.

See also

• The Proteolysis Map

Further reading

• Almasan A, Ashkenazi A (2004). "Apo2L/TRAIL: apoptosis signaling, biology, and potential for cancer therapy". Cytokine & Growth Factor Reviews. 14 (3–4): 337–48. doi:10.1016/S1359-6101(03)00029-7. PMID 12787570.
• Cha SS, Song YL, Oh BH (2004). "Specificity of molecular recognition learned from the crystal structures of TRAIL and the TRAIL:sDR5 complex". TRAIL (TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand). Vitamins & Hormones. Vol. 67. pp. 1–17. doi:10.1016/S0083-6729(04)67001-4. ISBN 978-0-12-709867-8. PMID 15110168.
• Song C, Jin B (2005). "TRAIL (CD253), a new member of the TNF superfamily". Journal of Biological Regulators and Homeostatic Agents. 19 (1–2): 73–7. PMID 16178278.
• Bucur O, Ray S, Bucur MC, Almasan A (May 2006). "APO2 ligand/tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand in prostate cancer therapy". Frontiers in Bioscience. 11: 1549–68. doi:10.2741/1903. PMID 16368536.
• Strandberg J, Louie AD, Lee S (June 2023). "TRAIL agonists rescue mice from radiation-induced lung injury". bioRxiv. doi:10.1101/2023.06.12.544681. S2CID 259213466.

External links

• [1] Apoptosis, Trail & Caspase 8 - The Proteolysis Map-animation
• PDB: 1D2Q​
• TRAIL Protein at the U.S. National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
• Overview of all the structural information available in the PDB for UniProt: P50591 (Tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 10) at the PDBe-KB.