The protein encoded by this gene is a surface antigen that is preferentially expressed on monocytes/macrophages. It cooperates with other proteins to mediate the innate immune response to bacterial lipopolysaccharide, and to viruses. This gene has been identified as a target candidate in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2-infected patients to potentially lessen or inhibit a severe inflammatory response. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants encoding the same protein.
