Description: This 3D1p28 monoclonal antibody reacts with the human p28 subunit of IL-27. Interleukin-27 (IL-27) is a member of the IL-12 family, a subgroup of the IL-6 family of cytokines. It is a heterodimer of the subunits EBI3 (Epstein-Barr Virus Induced Gene 3), which is homologous to the p40 subunit shared by IL-12 and IL-23, and p28 (IL-30), which is homologous to p35. IL-27 is produced by activated dendritic cells and macrophages in response to TLR ligands and inflammatory cytokines. IL-27 has been shown to have both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory effects. It influences the commitment of CD4+ T-cells toward the Th1 lineage by inducing the expression of the transcription factor T-bet and the upregulation of IL-12R beta2. Its anti-inflammatory functions include the suppression of Th2 and Th17 proliferation and differentiation.
The IL-27 receptor shares one subunit, gp130, with other members of the IL-6 family. The subunit WSX-1 (IL-27R alpha, TCCR) is unique to IL-27 and is believed to be the only part of the receptor that interacts with the cytokine. IL-27R activation leads to the phosphorylation of Jak/STAT proteins, with STAT1 and STAT3 being critical to the function of IL-27.
Recent evidence suggests that the p28 subunit may also be secreted independently of EBI3 and have functions distinct from the IL-27 heterodimer: it is believed to not only antagonize the activity of IL-27, but also inhibit signaling of other gp130 ligands, such as IL-6 and IL-11.