Participates in the innate immune response to Gram-positive bacteria and fungi. Specifically recognizes diacylated and, to a lesser extent, triacylated lipopeptides . In response to diacylated lipopeptides, forms the activation cluster TLR2:TLR6:CD14:CD36, this cluster triggers signaling from the cell surface and subsequently is targeted to the Golgi in a lipid-raft dependent pathway . Acts via MYD88 and TRAF6, leading to NF-kappa-B activation, cytokine secretion and the inflammatory response. Recognizes mycoplasmal macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2kD (MALP-2), soluble tuberculosis factor (STF), phenol-soluble modulin (PSM) and B.burgdorferi outer surface protein A lipoprotein (OspA-L) cooperatively with TLR2 . In complex with TLR4, promotes sterile inflammation in monocytes/macrophages in response to oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) or amyloid-beta 42. In this context, the initial signal is provided by oxLDL- or amyloid-beta 42-binding to CD36. This event induces the formation of a heterodimer of TLR4 and TLR6, which is rapidly internalized and triggers inflammatory response, leading to the NF-kappa-B-dependent production of CXCL1, CXCL2 and CCL9 cytokines, via MYD88 signaling pathway, and CCL5 cytokine, via TICAM1 signaling pathway, as well as IL1B secretion (, ).
Subcellular locations: Cell membrane, Cytoplasmic vesicle, Phagosome membrane, Membrane raft, Golgi apparatus
Upon complex formation with CD36 and TLR4, internalized through dynamin-dependent endocytosis. Does not reside in lipid rafts before stimulation but accumulates increasingly in the raft upon the presence of the microbial ligand. In response to diacylated lipoproteins, TLR2:TLR6 heterodimers are recruited in lipid rafts, this recruitment determine the intracellular targeting to the Golgi apparatus .
Detected in monocytes, CD11c+ immature dendritic cells, plasmacytoid pre-dendritic cells and dermal microvessel endothelial cells.