RBP4 functions as an antagonistic ligand of orphan DR6

Death receptor (DR) is a unique transmembrane receptor mediating extrinsic factor-induced programmed cell death pathways. For most DRs, the regulatory mechanism has been revealed to involve agonistic death ligand (e.g., TRAIL, TNF-α)-driven receptor clustering and activation, offering an in-depth understanding of the mechanistic basis for cell death regulation and therapeutic strategies. However, only death receptor 6 (DR6) remains orphan, and its molecular mechanism is poorly understood. Here, we identified retinol binding protein 4 (RBP4), a major vitamin-A carrier protein, as an antagonistic ligand of DR6. Single-molecule photobleaching and single-receptor tracking analyses revealed that RBP4 drives DR6 dimerization on the plasma membrane to prevent DR6 prodegenerative heterointeractions and consequent neurodegenerative processes. DR6 homodimerization predominantly depends on an extracellular intrinsically disordered region, allowing the agonistic propensity of increasing Ca ²⁺ levels. Collectively, our study establishes the distinct molecular mechanism of DR6 and highlights the non-canonical role of RBP4 as a cell death regulator.