1.A.37.8.1
TMEM176B cation channel of 270 aas and 4 TMSs in a 3 + 1 TMS arrangement.  It is upregulated in Meniere's disease (Sun et al. 2018). Phylogenetic analyses of the MS4A and TMEM176 gene families have been reported (Zuccolo et al. 2010).  Pharmacologic de-repression of the inflammasome by targeting TMEM176B may enhance the therapeutic efficacy of immune checkpoint blockers (Segovia et al. 2019). Inflammasome activation may reinforce anti-tumor immunity by boosting CD8(+) T cell priming as well as by enhancing T helper type 17 (Th17) responses. Modulation of TMEM176B provides one such mechanism, and this protein provides a potential target to unleash inflammasome activation, leading to reinforced anti-tumor immunity and improved efficacy of immune checkpoint blockers (Segovia et al. 2020). TMEM176B regulates AKT/mTOR signaling and tumor growth in triple-negative breast cancer (Kang et al. 2021).  A subpopulation of CD146(+) macrophages enhances antitumor immunity by activating the NLRP3 inflammasome, and this involves TMEM176B.