Pellino Homolog 3 (PELI3)

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and IL1R (IL1R1) are part of the innate immune response aimed at mobilizing defense mechanisms in response in infection or injury. Pellino proteins, such as PELI3, are intermediate components in the signaling cascades initiated by TLRs and IL1R.

The deduced 469-amino acid PELI3-alpha protein contains 24 amino acids encoded by exon 3 that are absent in the 445-amino acid PELI3-beta protein. Northern blot analysis detected a 2.5-kb transcript expressed at high levels in brain, heart, and testis, and at lower levels in kidney, liver, lung, placenta, small intestine, spleen, and stomach. RT-PCR, but not Northern blot analysis, also showed PELI3 expression in muscle and colon.