Summary: (from NCBI-Entrez) ..[read more]This gene encodes a protein which associates with toll-like receptor 4 on the cell surface and confers responsiveness to lipopolysaccyaride (LPS), thus providing a link between the receptor and LPS signaling. Studies of the mouse ortholog suggest that thi
MD-2, a glycoprotein that is essential for the innate response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), binds to both LPS and the extracellular domain of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) (Kennedy et al. 2004). MD-2.LPS complex, but not LPS alone, induces epithelial cells, which express TLR4 but not MD-2, to secrete interleukin-6 and interleukin-8.
MD-2 enables Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2)-mediated responses to lipopolysaccharide and enhances TLR2-mediated responses to Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria and their cell wall components.
J Immunol. 2001