Background of the antigen
The JNK-interacting proteins (JIPs) are a family of scaffold proteins that mediate JNK signaling by organizing specific components of the MAPK cascade together to form a functional JNK signaling molecule. JIP-3 (JNK-interacting protein 3), also known as JSAP1 or MAPK8IP3 (Mitogen-activated protein kinase 8-interacting protein 3), is a 1,336 amino acid protein that localizes to the cytoplasm and belongs to the JIP family. Expressed in a variety of tissues, including brain and heart, JIP-3 forms homo- or heterooligomeric complexes that can interact with several components of the JNK signaling pathway, thereby functioning as a regulator of kinesin-dependent axonal transport that may also play a role in scaffold formation within neuronal cells. Human JIP-3, which may be phosphorylated upon DNA damage, shares 69% similarity with its mouse counterpart, suggesting a conserved role between species. Multiple isoforms of JIP-3 exist due to alternative splicing events.
