TWEAK is a cell surface associated type II transmembrane protein belonging to the TNF superfamily. The protein was named TWEAK for its relatedness to TNF and its weak apoptotic ability. TWEAK has multiple biological activities including stimulation of cell growth and angiogenesis, induction of inflammatory cytokines, and under some experimental conditions, stimulation of apoptosis. It is produced by IFNĪ³-stimulated monocytes and induces multiple pathways of cell death in a cell type specific manner, namely caspase-dependent apoptosis, cathepsin-B-dependent necrosis and endogenous TNFĪ±-mediated cell death.DR3, the TWEAK receptor, is a type-I membrane protein belonging to the TNFR family...