General description

This gene encodes an immunoregulatory cytokine produced primarily by activated Th2 cells. This cytokine is involved in several stages of B-cell maturation and differentiation. It up-regulates CD23 and MHC class II expression, and promotes IgE isotype switching of B cells. This cytokine down-regulates macrophage activity, thereby inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. This cytokine is found to be critical to the pathogenesis of allergen-induced asthma but operates through mechanisms independent of IgE and eosinophils. This gene, IL3, IL5, IL4, and CSF2 form a cytokine gene cluster on chromosome 5q, with this gene particularly close to IL4. [provided by RefSeq

Immunogen

IL13 (NP_002179, 1 a.a. ~ 146 a.a) full length recombinant protein with GST tag. MW of the GST tag alone is 26 KDa.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Interleukin-13 (IL-13) has a role in immune activities against infections and influences the function of various cells taking part in the same. It has been studied to be overexpressed in glioblastoma tumors and cell lines. IL-13 stimulates fibrosis in many infectious diseases. Targeted deletion of IL-13 in mice resulted in impaired T-helper 2 (Th2) cell development and indicated an important role for IL-13 in the expulsion of gastrointestinal parasites. IL-13 exerts anti-inflammatory effects on monocytes and macrophages and it inhibits the expression of inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukins-1β, -6 and -8. IL-13 has also been shown to enhance B cell proliferation and to induce isotype switching resulting in increased production of immunoglobulin E (IgE). Blocking of IL-13 activity inhibits the pathophysiology of asthma.