Structural highlights
Disease
[IRF4_HUMAN] Defects in IRF4 are a cause of multiple myeloma (MM) [MIM:254500]. MM is a malignant tumor of plasma cells usually arising in the bone marrow and characterized by diffuse involvement of the skeletal system, hyperglobulinemia, Bence-Jones proteinuria and anemia. Complications of multiple myeloma are bone pain, hypercalcemia, renal failure and spinal cord compression. The aberrant antibodies that are produced lead to impaired humoral immunity and patients have a high prevalence of infection. Amyloidosis may develop in some patients. Multiple myeloma is part of a spectrum of diseases ranging from monoclonal gammopathy of unknown significance (MGUS) to plasma cell leukemia. Note=A chromosomal aberration involving IRF4 is found in multiple myeloma. Translocation t(6;14)(p25;q32) with the IgH locus.
Function
[IRF4_HUMAN] Transcriptional activator. Binds to the interferon-stimulated response element (ISRE) of the MHC class I promoter. Binds the immunoglobulin lambda light chain enhancer, together with PU.1. Probably plays a role in ISRE-targeted signal transduction mechanisms specific to lymphoid cells. Involved in CD8(+) dendritic cell differentiation by forming a complex with the BATF-JUNB heterodimer in immune cells, leading to recognition of AICE sequence (5'-TGAnTCA/GAAA-3'), an immune-specific regulatory element, followed by cooperative binding of BATF and IRF4 and activation of genes (By similarity).
Evolutionary Conservation
Check, as determined by ConSurfDB. You may read the explanation of the method and the full data available from ConSurf.
See Also
