RFTN1 (raftlin, lipid raft linker 1) is a membrane-associated protein primarily involved in protein trafficking and immune signaling. As a lipid raft linker, RFTN1 associates with clathrin and AP2 complex to facilitate protein transport 12. In innate immunity, RFTN1 mediates internalization of TLR4 and TLR3 to endosomes upon bacterial lipopolysaccharide and poly(I:C) stimulation, respectively, activating TICAM1-mediated signaling and interferon-beta production 12. RFTN1 regulates lipid raft assembly and localization, with recent evidence showing it controls TLR4 positioning within lipid rafts to modulate inflammatory responses 3. In disease contexts, RFTN1 shows altered expression patterns: it is highly expressed in gastric cancer and small-cell lung cancer, where it promotes cell proliferation through AKT/p38 signaling modulation 45. Conversely, RFTN1 expression is reduced in normal lung tissue and normal middle ear epithelium compared to diseased states 53. RFTN1 genetic variants interact with ATOH7 polymorphisms to increase glaucoma risk 6. Additionally, RFTN1 shows sex-specific DNA methylation differences in schizophrenia patients 7. Clinically, RFTN1 represents a potential therapeutic target in inflammatory and neoplastic diseases.