Interleukin 1 Receptor Associated Kinase 2 (IRAK2)

Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase-like 2 is one of two putative serine/threonine kinases that become associated with the interleukin-1 receptor (IL1R) upon stimulation. IRAK2 is reported to participate in the IL1-induced upregulation of NF-kappaB.Muzio et al.showed that ectopic expression of IRAK2 protein induced NFKB activation, whereas expression of truncated IRAK2 proteins did not. Truncated forms of IRAK2 acted as dominant-negative inhibitors of IL1R-induced NFKB activity. IRAK2 coprecipitated with MYD88 and TRAF6, another protein implicated in the IL1 signaling pathway and shown to complex with IRAK1.Muzio et al. concluded that IRAK2 is a proximal mediator of IL1, is a component of the IL1R signaling complex, and is required for IL1R-induced NFKB activation.