TREM2 encodes a membrane protein that forms a receptor signaling complex with the TYRO protein tyrosine kinase binding protein. The encoded protein functions in immune response and may be involved in chronic inflammation by triggering the production of constitutive inflammatory cytokines. Defects in this gene are a cause of polycystic lipomembranous osteodysplasia with sclerosing leukoencephalopathy (PLOSL). Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding different isoforms.
TYROBP, also known as DAP12, encodes a transmembrane signaling polypeptide which contains an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif (ITAM) in its cytoplasmic domain. The encoded protein may associate with the killer-cell inhibitory receptor (KIR) family of membrane glycoproteins and may act as an activating signal transduction element. This protein may bind zeta-chain (TCR) associated protein kinase 70kDa (ZAP-70) and spleen tyrosine kinase (SYK) and play a role in signal transduction, bone modeling, brain myelination, and inflammation. Mutations within this gene have been associated with polycystic lipomembranous osteodysplasia with sclerosing leukoencephalopathy (PLOSL), also known as Nasu-Hakola disease. Its putative receptor, triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2), also causes PLOSL. Multiple alternative transcript variants encoding distinct isoforms have been identified for this gene.