Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factors (TRAFs)--a family of adapter proteins that regulates life and death

Signaling pathways regulating survival of cells are in the early stages of being defined. Components of survival signal transduction are of interest. An important family of cytoplasmic proteins seems to be capable of negatively regulating apoptotic pathways and can induce expression of genes that help cells to survive. The family has been given the name tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) because of ability to bind to TNFRII. This family of adapter proteins regulates death as well as life.