title: Control of interleukin-2 gene transcription: a paradigm for inducible, tissue-specific gene expression.
abstract: Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a key cytokine that controls immune cell function, in particular the adaptive arm of the immune system, through its ability to control the clonal expansion and homeostasis of peripheral T cells. IL-2 is produced almost exclusively by T cells in response to antigenic stimulation and thus provides an excellent example of a cell-specific inducible gene. The mechanisms that control IL-2 gene transcription have been studied in detail for the past 20 years and our current understanding of the nature of the inducible and tissue-specific controls will be discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Bioscience, John Curtin School of Medical Research, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia.
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bunting
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: M Frances
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Shannon
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007376:Interleukin-2 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D037182:T-Cell Antigen Receptor Specificity / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology; D014158:Transcription, Genetic / Q000235:genetics* / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007376:Interleukin-2