Interleukin 2

IL2
Available structures
PDB	Ortholog search: PDBe RCSB
List of PDB id codes
	1IRL, 1M47, 1M48, 1M49, 1M4A, 1M4B, 1M4C, 1NBP, 1PW6, 1PY2, 1QVN, 1Z92, 2B5I, 2ERJ, 3QAZ, 3QB1, 3INK, 4NEJ, 4NEM
Identifiers
Aliases	IL2, IL-2, TCGF, lymphokine, interleukin 2
External IDs	OMIM: 147680; MGI: 96548; HomoloGene: 488; GeneCards: IL2; OMA:IL2 - orthologs
Gene location (Human)
Chr.	Chromosome 4 (human)
End	122,456,725 bp
Gene location (Mouse)
Chr.	Chromosome 3 (mouse)
End	37,180,108 bp
RNA expression pattern
	Top expressed in
	gonad; ; testicle; ; lymph node; ; appendix; ; granulocyte; ; rectum; ; duodenum; ; gallbladder; ; spleen; ; right lung;
	Top expressed in
	pharynx; ; spermatid; ; ganglionic eminence; ; duodenum; ; esophagus; ; foregut; ; stomach; ; blastocyst; ; spermatocyte; ; ventricular zone;
	More reference expression data
	More reference expression data
Gene ontology
Molecular function	cytokine activity; interleukin-2 receptor binding; glycosphingolipid binding; kinase activator activity; growth factor activity; kappa-type opioid receptor binding; carbohydrate binding; protein binding;
Cellular component	extracellular region; intracellular anatomical structure; extracellular space;
Biological process	positive regulation of T cell differentiation; negative regulation of protein phosphorylation; G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway; positive regulation of protein phosphorylation; positive regulation of inflammatory response; adaptive immune response; negative regulation of heart contraction; immune system process; positive regulation of cytosolic calcium ion concentration; positive regulation of regulatory T cell differentiation; cell-cell signaling; positive regulation of interferon-gamma production; natural killer cell activation; negative regulation of apoptotic process; positive regulation of dendritic spine development; negative regulation of lymphocyte proliferation; MAPK cascade; regulation of T cell homeostatic proliferation; T cell differentiation; positive regulation of cell growth; protein kinase C-activating G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway; cell adhesion; positive regulation of B cell proliferation; positive regulation of tissue remodeling; positive regulation of T cell proliferation; immune response; positive regulation of cell population proliferation; extrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway in absence of ligand; negative regulation of B cell apoptotic process; positive regulation of isotype switching to IgG isotypes; positive regulation of interleukin-17 production; response to ethanol; negative regulation of inflammatory response; positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II; positive regulation of activated T cell proliferation; negative regulation of T-helper 17 cell differentiation; leukocyte activation involved in immune response; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein; regulation of regulatory T cell differentiation; regulation of signaling receptor activity; cytokine-mediated signaling pathway; interleukin-2-mediated signaling pathway; positive regulation of kinase activity;
	Sources:Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs
	3558
	16183
	ENSG00000109471
	ENSMUSG00000027720
	P60568
	P04351
	NM_000586
	NM_008366
	NP_000577
	NP_032392
	Wikidata
View/Edit Human	View/Edit Mouse

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is an interleukin, which is a type of cytokine signaling molecule forming part of the immune system. It is a 15.5–16 kDa protein^[5] that regulates the activities of white blood cells (leukocytes, often lymphocytes) that are responsible for immunity. IL-2 is part of the body's natural response to microbial infection, and in discriminating between foreign ("non-self") and "self". IL-2 mediates its effects by binding to IL-2 receptors, which are expressed by lymphocytes. The major sources of IL-2 are activated CD4⁺ T cells and activated CD8⁺ T cells.^[6] Put shortly the function of IL-2 is to stimulate the growth of helper, cytotoxic and regulatory T cells.

^ ^a ^b ^c GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000109471 – Ensembl, May 2017
^ ^a ^b ^c GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000027720 – Ensembl, May 2017
^ "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^ "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.
^ Arenas-Ramirez N, Woytschak J, Boyman O (December 2015). "Interleukin-2: Biology, Design and Application" (PDF). Trends in Immunology. 36 (12): 763–777. doi:10.1016/j.it.2015.10.003. PMID 26572555. S2CID 3621867.
^ Cite error: The named reference Liao_2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[refGRCh38Ensembl-1] GRCh38: Ensembl release 89: ENSG00000109471 – Ensembl, May 2017

[refGRCm38Ensembl-2] GRCm38: Ensembl release 89: ENSMUSG00000027720 – Ensembl, May 2017

[3] "Human PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

[4] "Mouse PubMed Reference:". National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine.

[:0-5] Arenas-Ramirez N, Woytschak J, Boyman O (December 2015). "Interleukin-2: Biology, Design and Application" (PDF). Trends in Immunology. 36 (12): 763–777. doi:10.1016/j.it.2015.10.003. PMID 26572555. S2CID 3621867.

[Liao_2011-6] Cite error: The named reference Liao_2011 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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