Recombinant Human Interleukin-29 (IL29)

Uniprot Id

Q8IU54

Target Species

Human

Target Name

IFNL1

Target Full Name

Interferon lambda-1

Target Function

Cytokine with antiviral, antitumour and immunomodulatory activities. Plays a critical role in the antiviral host defense, predominantly in the epithelial tissues. Acts as a ligand for the heterodimeric class II cytokine receptor composed of IL10RB and IFNLR1, and receptor engagement leads to the activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway resulting in the expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISG), which mediate the antiviral state. Has a restricted receptor distribution and therefore restricted targets: is primarily active in epithelial cells and this cell type-selective action is because of the epithelial cell-specific expression of its receptor IFNLR1. Exerts an immunomodulatory effect by up-regulating MHC class I antigen expression.

Target Subcellular Location

Secreted.

Target Protein Families

Lambda interferon family

Target Research Area

Immunology

Target Synonyms

IFNL1; IL29; ZCYTO21Interferon lambda-1; IFN-lambda-1; Cytokine Zcyto21; Interleukin-29; IL-29

Target Background

This gene encodes a cytokine distantly related to type I interferons and the IL-10 family. This gene, interleukin 28A (IL28A), and interleukin 28B (IL28B) are three closely related cytokine genes that form a cytokine gene cluster on a chromosomal region mapped to 19q13. Expression of the cytokines encoded by the three genes can be induced by viral infection. All three cytokines have been shown to interact with a heterodimeric class II cytokine receptor that consists of interleukin 10 receptor, beta (IL10RB) and interleukin 28 receptor, alpha (IL28RA).