Subunit beta of interleukin 12 (also known as IL-12B, natural killer cell stimulatory factor 2, cytotoxic lymphocyte maturation factor p40, or interleukin-12 subunit p40)[5] is a
protein subunit that in humans is encoded by the IL12Bgene. IL-12B is a common subunit of
interleukin 12 and
interleukin 23.
Function
This gene encodes a subunit of
interleukin 12, a
cytokine that acts on
T and
natural killer cells, and has a broad array of biological activities. Interleukin 12 is a disulfide-linked heterodimer composed of the 40
kDacytokine receptor like subunit encoded by this gene, and a 35 kDa subunit encoded by IL12A. This cytokine is expressed by activated
macrophages that serve as an essential inducer of
Th1 cells development. This cytokine has been found to be important for sustaining a sufficient number of memory/effector Th1 cells to mediate long-term protection to an
intracellular pathogen.
Overexpression of this gene was observed in the central nervous system of patients with
multiple sclerosis (MS), suggesting a role of this cytokine in the pathogenesis of the disease. The
promoter polymorphism of this gene has been reported to be associated with the severity of atopic and non-atopic
asthma in children.[5]
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