Interleukin 31

Interleukin 31
Identifiers
Symbols	IL31 ; IL-31
External IDs	OMIM: 609509 HomoloGene: 88541 GeneCards: IL31 Gene
Gene ontology Molecular function • cytokine activity Cellular component • extracellular space Biological process • immune system process Sources: Amigo / QuickGO
Orthologs
Species	Human	Mouse
Entrez	386653	n/a
Ensembl	ENSG00000204671	n/a
UniProt	Q6EBC2	n/a
RefSeq (mRNA)	NM_001014336	n/a
RefSeq (protein)	NP_001014358	n/a
Location (UCSC)	Chr 12: 122.17 – 122.17 Mb	n/a
PubMed search		n/a

Interleukin-31 (IL-31) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL31 gene.^[1][2]

Function

IL-31 is a cytokine with a four-helix bundle structure, which is preferentially produced by type 2 helper T cells (Th2). The structure of IL-31 places it in the IL-6 family of cytokines. IL-31 signals via a receptor complex that is composed of IL-31 receptor A (IL31RA) and oncostatin M receptor subunits. These receptor subunits are expressed in activated monocytes and in unstimulated epithelial cells.^[1]

Clinical significance

IL-31 is believed to play a role in inflammation of the skin.^[2]

References

1. "Entrez Gene: interleukin 31".
2. Dillon SR, Sprecher C, Hammond A, Bilsborough J, Rosenfeld-Franklin M, Presnell SR, Haugen HS, Maurer M, Harder B, Johnston J, Bort S, Mudri S, Kuijper JL, Bukowski T, Shea P, Dong DL, Dasovich M, Grant FJ, Lockwood L, Levin SD, LeCiel C, Waggie K, Day H, Topouzis S, Kramer J, Kuestner R, Chen Z, Foster D, Parrish-Novak J, Gross JA (July 2004). "Interleukin 31, a cytokine produced by activated T cells, induces dermatitis in mice". Nat. Immunol. 5 (7): 752–60. doi:10.1038/ni1084. PMID 15184896.