Transmembrane Protein 173 (TMEM173)

The deduced 379-amino acid protein has a calculated molecular mass of 42.2 kD. It has 5 putative N-terminal transmembrane domains, a signal cleavage site in the first transmembrane domain, and a leucine-rich region that overlaps the first 4 transmembrane domains. Northern blot analysis detected STING expression in all tissues examined. Confocal microscopy and fractionation analysis of human embryonic kidney 293 cells revealed that STING predominantly associated with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Western blot analysis of 293 cells detected endogenous STING at an apparent molecular mass of 42 kD.STING activated both the NF-kappa-B and IRF3 transcription pathways to induce expression of IFN-alpha (IFNA1) and IFN-beta and exert a potent antiviral effect.