Description
IL12B is a subunit of interleukin 12, a cytokine that acts on T and natural killer cells, and has a broad array of biological activities. This cytokine is expressed by activated macrophages that serve as an essential inducer of Th1 cells development. This cytokine has been found to be important for sustaining a sufficient number of memory/effector Th1 cells to mediate long-term protection to an intracellular pathogen. IL12B also associates with IL23A to form the IL-23 interleukin, a heterodimeric cytokine which functions in innate and adaptive immunity. IL23 activates the Jak-Stat signaling cascade, stimulates memory rather than naive T-cells and promotes production of proinflammatory cytokines. IL-23 induces autoimmune inflammation and thus may be responsible for autoimmune inflammatory diseases and may be important for tumorigenesis