title: Interleukin 12 (IL-12) family cytokines: Role in immune pathogenesis and treatment of CNS autoimmune disease.
abstract: Cytokines play crucial roles in coordinating the activities of innate and adaptive immune systems. In response to pathogen recognition, innate immune cells secrete cytokines that inform the adaptive immune system about the nature of the pathogen and instruct naïve T cells to differentiate into the appropriate T cell subtypes required to clear the infection. These include Interleukins, Interferons and other immune-regulatory cytokines that exhibit remarkable functional redundancy and pleiotropic effects. The focus of this review, however, is on the enigmatic Interleukin 12 (IL-12) family of cytokines. This family of cytokines plays crucial roles in shaping immune responses during antigen presentation and influence cell-fate decisions of differentiating naïve T cells. They also play essential roles in regulating functions of a variety of effector cells, making IL-12 family cytokines important therapeutic targets or agents in a number of inflammatory diseases, such as the CNS autoimmune diseases, uveitis and multiple sclerosis.
authors: Molecular Immunology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors: Lin
authors: L
authors: Sun
authors: Molecular Immunology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors: Chang
authors: C
authors: He
authors: Molecular Immunology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors: Lekha
authors: L
authors: Nair
authors: Molecular Immunology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA.
authors: Justine
authors: J
authors: Yeung
authors: Molecular Immunology Section, National Eye Institute, National Institutes of Health, USA. Electronic address: egwuaguc@nei.nih.gov.
authors: Charles E
authors: CE
authors: Egwuagu
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017951:Antigen Presentation / Q000276:immunology; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000276:immunology; D004681:Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000276:immunology*; D053759:Interleukin-23 / Q000276:immunology; D007378:Interleukins / Q000276:immunology; D051379:Mice; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000276:immunology; D058504:Th17 Cells / Q000276:immunology; D014605:Uveitis / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy
chemical_list: D053759:Interleukin-23; D007378:Interleukins; C464565:MYDGF protein, human; C532417:interleukin-35, human; D018664:Interleukin-12
keywords: Adoptive B cell therapy; Autoimmune disease; Cytokine therapy; IL-12 family cytokines; Regulatory B cells (Bregs and i35-Bregs)