Interleukin-12 subunit alpha (IL-12 p35) is aprotein that in humans is encoded by theIL12Agene.[5]
This gene encodes a subunit of thecytokineInterleukin 12 (IL-12) that acts onT andnatural killer cells, and has a broad array of biological activities. The cytokine is a disulfide-linkedheterodimer composed of the 35-kD subunit encoded by this gene, and a 40-kD subunit that is a member of the cytokine receptor family. This cytokine is required for the T-cell-dependent induction ofinterferon gamma (IFN-γ), and is important for the differentiation of bothTh1 andTh2 cells. The responses oflymphocytes to this cytokine are mediated by the activator of transcription proteinSTAT4. Nitric oxide synthase 2A (NOS2A/NOS2) is found to be required for the signaling process of this cytokine ininnate immunity.[6]
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