interleukin-21; IL-21; Za11 (IL21)

Function

• cytokine with immunoregulatory activity
• transition between innate & adaptive immunity (putative)
• induces synthesis of IgG1 and IgG3 in B-cells
• proliferation & maturation of natural killer (NK) cells in synergy with IL15 (putative)
• proliferation of mature B-cells & T-cells
• synergy with IL15 & IL18
• stimulates IFN-gamma production in T-cells & NK cells
• inhibition of dendritic cells activation during T-cell mediated immune response (putative)

Structure

belongs to the IL-15/IL-21 family

Compartment

secreted

Expression

• expressed in activated CD4-positive T-cells but not in CD8-positive T-cells, B-cells, or monocytes

More general terms

• interleukin
• glycoprotein

Database

• Entrez gene: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=gene&cmd=Retrieve&dopt=Graphics&list_uids=59067
• Kegg: http://www.genome.jp/dbget-bin/www_bget?hsa:59067
• OMIM: https://mirror.omim.org/entry/605384
• UniProt: http://www.uniprot.org/uniprot/Q9HBE4.html