Interleukin-12 (rIL 12) Rat Active Protein

This gene encodes a subunit of a cytokine that acts on T and natural killer cells, and has a broad array of biological activities. The cytokine is a disulfide-linked heterodimer composed of the 35-kD subunit encoded by this gene, and a 40-kD subunit that is a member of the cytokine receptor family. This cytokine is required for the T-cell-independent induction of interferon (IFN)-gamma, and is important for the differentiation of both Th1 and Th2 cells. The responses of lymphocytes to this cytokine are mediated by the activator of transcription protein STAT4. Nitric oxide synthase 2A (NOS2A/NOS2) is found to be required for the signaling process of this cytokine in innate immunity. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]

IL12A: Cytokine that can act as a growth factor for activated T and NK cells, enhance the lytic activity of NK/lymphokine- activated Killer cells, and stimulate the production of IFN-gamma by resting PBMC. Belongs to the IL-6 superfamily.

Protein type: Secreted; Cytokine; Secreted, signal peptide

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 3q25.33

Cellular Component: extracellular space; interleukin-12 complex; cytoplasm

Molecular Function: protein binding; interleukin-27 binding; interleukin-12 beta subunit binding; growth factor activity; protein heterodimerization activity; cytokine activity; interleukin-12 receptor binding

Biological Process: positive regulation of NK T cell activation; cell migration; positive regulation of cell adhesion; positive regulation of natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity directed against tumor cell target; negative regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation; positive regulation of T cell mediated cytotoxicity; response to virus; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat4 protein; response to lipopolysaccharide; positive regulation of natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity; defense response to protozoan; positive regulation of natural killer cell activation; response to UV-B; defense response to Gram-positive bacterium; positive regulation of interferon-gamma production; negative regulation of interleukin-17 production; positive regulation of T cell differentiation; positive regulation of mononuclear cell proliferation; positive regulation of lymphocyte proliferation; immune response; positive regulation of T cell proliferation; cell cycle arrest