Key adapter protein that plays an essential role in JNK and NF-kappa-B activation and proinflammatory cytokines production in response to stimulation with TLRs and cytokines (, ). Mechanistically, associates with the catalytic domain of MAP3K7/TAK1 to trigger MAP3K7/TAK1 autophosphorylation leading to its full activation (, ). Similarly, associates with MAPK14 and triggers its autophosphorylation and subsequent activation (, ). In turn, MAPK14 phosphorylates TAB1 and inhibits MAP3K7/TAK1 activation in a feedback control mechanism . Plays also a role in recruiting MAPK14 to the TAK1 complex for the phosphorylation of the TAB2 and TAB3 regulatory subunits .
Ubiquitous.