IL-27, a Heterodimeric Cytokine Composed of EBI3 and p28 Protein, Induces Proliferation of Naive CD4+ T Cells

✍ Scribed by Stefan Pflanz; Jackie C Timans; Jeanne Cheung; Rency Rosales; Holger Kanzler; Jonathan Gilbert; Linda Hibbert; Tatyana Churakova; Marilyn Travis; Elena Vaisberg; Wendy M Blumenschein; Jeanine D Mattson; Janet L Wagner; Wayne To; Sandra Zurawski; Terrill K McClanahan; Daniel M Gorman; J.Fernando Bazan; Rene de Waal Malefyt; Donna Rennick; Robert A Kastelein

• Book ID: 117723235
• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2002
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 529 KB
• Volume: 16
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1074-7613
• DOI: 10.1016/s1074-7613(02)00324-2

✦ Synopsis

An efficient Th1-driven adaptive immune response requires activation of the T cell receptor and secretion of the T cell stimulatory cytokine IL-12 by activated antigen-presenting cells. IL-12 triggers Th1 polarization of naive CD4(+) T cells and secretion of IFN-gamma. We describe a new heterodimeric cytokine termed IL-27 that consists of EBI3, an IL-12p40-related protein, and p28, a newly discovered IL-12p35-related polypeptide. IL-27 is an early product of activated antigen-presenting cells and drives rapid clonal expansion of naive but not memory CD4(+) T cells. It also strongly synergizes with IL-12 to trigger IFN-gamma production of naive CD4(+) T cells. IL-27 mediates its biologic effects through the orphan cytokine receptor WSX-1/TCCR.