TNF receptor-associated factor 4 (TRAF4) also known as RING finger protein 83 (RNF83) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the TRAF4 gene.[5][6][7]
TRAF4 is a member of the TNF receptor associated factor (TRAF) family, a family of scaffold proteins.[8] TRAF proteins connect IL-1R/Toll and TNF receptors with signaling factors that lead to the activation of NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinases. However, TRAF4 is not known to interact with TNF receptors and its cellular functions are not well understood.[9]
TRAF4 has been shown to interact with neurotrophin receptor, p75 (NTR/NTSR1),[10][11] and negatively regulate NTR induced cell death and NF-kappa B activation. This protein has been found to bind to p47phox, a cytosolic regulatory factor included in a multi-protein complex known as NAD(P)H oxidase. This protein thus, is thought to be involved in the oxidative activation of MAPK8/JNK. Alternatively spliced transcript variants have been observed but the full-length nature of only one has been determined.[7]
A recent report indicates that TRAF4 binds to NOD-Like Receptors NOD1 and NOD2, and specifically inhibits activation of NF-κB by the activated NOD2-RIP2 complex [12]