MyD88, also called myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88, encodes a cytosolic adapter protein that plays an essential role in innate and adaptive immune responses. The innate immune system recognizes the presence of bacterial pathogens through the expression of a family known as Toll-like receptors (TLRs). TLRs recognize microbial-associated or pathogen-associated molecular patterns, which leads to the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (1). Chronic infection and inflammation are considered to be some of the most important epigenetic and environmental factors contributing to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. MyD88, a TLRs signaling adaptor protein, is an essential downstream component of the TLRs signaling cascade, and recent studies point to a critical role for MyD88 in the pro-tumorigenic inflammatory response (2).
IHC analysis of MyD88 in paraffin-embedded human brain tissue.
It has demonstrated that MyD88 is a novel, cell-autonomous role in RAS signaling, cell-cycle control and cell transformation. Clinical significance of MYD88 expression in human ovarian carcinoma was examined by immunohistochemistry using anti-MYD88 antibodies suggesting that MYD88 expression is a significantly poor prognostic factor for some cancers. MyD88 overexpression was associated with carcinogenesis and tumor progression of epithelial ovarian cancers and with an increased risk of metastasis and worse survival, and the identification of MyD88 expression as determined by anti-MYD88 antibodies. A better understanding of the role of MYD88 expression in cancer progression may be helpful for development of novel therapies. Novus Biologicals offers a wide range of products and tools for research studies, including cell lysates, recombinant proteins and antibodies against MYD88 for your research needs.
