TROY Protein

TROY (TNFRSF19, also known as Taj/TROY or TRADE) is an orphan receptor of the TNF receptor superfamily that was first identified as the candidate receptor for ectodysplasin-A2 and now functions principally in development and neuroregeneration rather than immunity. TROY is a type I transmembrane protein with cysteine-rich extracellular repeats and a cytoplasmic death domain that is incompletely conserved, permitting recruitment of TRAF2, TRAF5 and TRAF6 to activate JNK and NF-κB without triggering apoptosis. During embryogenesis TROY is expressed in ectodermal placodes, branchial arches, hair follicles and the neural tube, contributing to craniofacial and skin appendage development. In the brain, TROY acts as a co-receptor of the Nogo receptor complex and binds to LINGO-1 and p75NTR, mediating inhibition of axonal regeneration and neuronal growth after CNS injury. TROY is overexpressed in glioblastoma, where it maintains tumor-initiating cells, and in certain epithelial cancers; it also regulates osteoclastogenesis and bone metabolism, illustrating its versatility beyond the TNF ligand-receptor paradigm.