title: Interleukin-12 receptor beta2: from cytokine receptor to gatekeeper gene in human B-cell malignancies.
abstract: Interleukin (IL) -12 is a cytokine that has been extensively characterized for its immunoregulatory activities. IL-12 binds to a heterodimeric receptor composed of the beta1 and beta2 chains. In this review article, we discuss recent findings on the expression and function of IL-12 receptor (IL-12R) in malignant B cells frozen at various stages of differentiation and in their normal counterparts. These studies, together with others performed in Il12rb2 knockout mice, have established the concept that the IL-12Rbeta2 gene is a gatekeeper from cancer. We will delineate three paradigms reflecting the differential expression of IL-12Rbeta2 in different groups of malignant B cells and discuss the therapeutic perspectives stemming from these studies.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oncology, Department of Experimental and Laboratory Medicine, G. Gaslini Institute, 16147 Genova, Italy. vitopistoia@ospedale-gaslini.ge.it
authors.forename: Vito
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Pistoia
authors.forename: Claudia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cocco
authors.forename: Irma
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Airoldi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019175:DNA Methylation; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D015451:Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology; D051379:Mice; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12 / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: C508439:IL12RB2 protein, human; C508443:Il12rb2 protein, mouse; D053707:Receptors, Interleukin-12