Interferon-inducible protein AIM2 also known as absent in melanoma 2 or simply AIM2 is a protein that in humans is encoded by the AIM2gene.[5][6]
AIM2 is a cytoplasmic sensor found in hematopoietic cells that recognizes the presence of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) of microbial or host cellular origin.[7] AIM2-like receptor (ALR) family was founded on AIM2 and now consists of four members in human genome.[8] Activated AIM2 recruits apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), resulting in caspase-1 binding, and forming of AIM2 inflammasome. This signaling contributes to the defense against bacterial and viral DNA. The AIM2 inflammasome can also be an integral component of the AIM2-PANoptosome to drive PANoptosis. [9][10]
^"Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^"Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^DeYoung KL, Ray ME, Su YA, Anzick SL, Johnstone RW, Trapani JA, et al. (July 1997). "Cloning a novel member of the human interferon-inducible gene family associated with control of tumorigenicity in a model of human melanoma". Oncogene. 15 (4): 453–7. doi:10.1038/sj.onc.1201206. PMID9242382. S2CID11152041.