This gene encodes a seven-transmembrane G-protein-coupled receptor for platelet-activating factor (PAF) that localizes to lipid rafts and/or caveolae in the cell membrane. PAF (1-0-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphorylcholine) is a phospholipid that plays a significant role in oncogenic transformation, tumor growth, angiogenesis, metastasis, and pro-inflammatory processes. Binding of PAF to the PAF-receptor (PAFR) stimulates numerous signal transduction pathways including phospholipase C, D, A2, mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), and the phosphatidylinositol-calcium second messenger system. Following PAFR activation, cells become rapidly desensitized and this refractory state is dependent on PAFR phosphorylation, internalization, and down-regulation. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Aug 2011]
Forensic Context
A study in rats using single-cell transcriptomic analysis identified the PTAFR as an orthologous gene associated with inflammatory processes in radiation-induced lung injury [Shi et al. DOI:10.17305/bb.2024.10357]. In human research, the PTAFR mRNA in salivary extracellular vesicles was significantly upregulated in concussion clinic patients compared to healthy participants and higher than in emergency department patients with acute head trauma, indicating its involvement in cerebral edema and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury and its application for traumatic brain injury diagnosis and severity evaluation [Cheng et al. DOI:10.4103/1673-5374.266924].