Absent In Melanoma 2 (AIM2)

AIM2 plays a putative role in tumorigenic reversion and may control cell proliferation. Interferon-gamma induces expression of AIM2. AIM2 was expressed as a 39-kD protein following in vitro transcription/translation in rabbit reticulocyte lysate or transfection in a murine epithelial cell line. Cell fractionation showed that AIM2 localized primarily to the cytoplasm of transfected mouse cells.

Chromosome alterations in malignant melanoma most frequently include translocations and deletions on chromosome 1 or 6 . AIM2 encodes a deduced 344-amino acid protein that contains a conserved sequence domain of approximately 200 amino acids shared with interferon-inducible genes as well as a tyrosine kinase phosphorylation site.