Anti-CARD12 (IPAF/ClAN)

Ipaf (also known as Clan/CARD12/NLRC4) is a CARD domain containing protein belongs to the NLR family. In general CARD proteins are implicated in host defense against infection, environmental stress or cellular damage. CARD domains are homotypic protein interaction motifs that enable networks of proteins to communicate via CARD-CARD interactions. There are at least three major signaling pathways in which CARD proteins act: (1) Regulation of caspase activation in the context of apoptosis (2) Regulation of caspase activation in the context of inflammation (3) Regaultion of NF-kB activation in the context of innate or adaptive immune responses. Ipaf plays a role in regulating caspase-1 activity, which in turn mediates the maturation of inflammatory cytokines IL-1b and IL-18. In transfected cells, Ipaf has been shown to directly interact with procaspase-1 and induce proteolytic activation of procaspase-1 in transfected cells. On the flip side, macrophages from IPAF deficient mice failed to activate caspase-1 in response to Salmonella typhimurium infection underscoring the importance of IPAF in vivo. IPAF also interact with the pro-apoptotic adaptor protein ASC and co-expression of IPAF with ASC has been shown to induce NF-kB activation and apoptosis. Protein function: Key component of inflammasomes that indirectly senses specific proteins from pathogenic bacteria and fungi and responds by assembling an inflammasome complex that promotes caspase-1 activation, cytokine production and macrophage pyroptosis (PubMed:15107016). The NLRC4 inflammasome is activated as part of the innate immune response to a range of intracellular bacteria. [The UniProt Consortium]