IL2

Interleukin-2 family
IL2
SMART accession number:SM00189
Description: Interleukin-2 is a cytokine produced by T-helper cells in response to antigenic or mitogenic stimulation. This protein is required for T-cell proliferation and other activities crucial to the regulation of the immune response.
Interpro abstract (IPR000779):

T-Lymphocytes regulate the growth and differentiation of certain lymphopoietic and haemopoietic cells through the release of various secreted protein factors [ (PUBMED:3918306) ]. These factors, which include interleukin-2 (IL2), are secreted by lectin- or antigen-stimulated T-cells, and have various physiological effects. IL2 is a lymphokine that induces the proliferation of responsive T-cells. In addition, it acts on some B-cells, via receptor-specific binding [ (PUBMED:3517854) ], as a growth factor and antibody production stimulant [ (PUBMED:1510960) ]. The protein is secreted as a single glycosylated polypeptide, and cleavage of a signal sequence is required for its activity [ (PUBMED:3517854) ]. Solution NMR suggests that the structure of IL2 comprises a bundle of 4 helices (termed A-D), flanked by 2 shorter helices and several poorly-defined loops. Residues in helix A, and in the loop region between helices A and B, are important for receptor binding. Secondary structure analysis has suggested similarity to IL4 and granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GMCSF) [ (PUBMED:1510960) ].

GO process:immune response (GO:0006955)
GO component:extracellular region (GO:0005576)
GO function:interleukin-2 receptor binding (GO:0005134), growth factor activity (GO:0008083)
Family alignment:
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There are 172 IL2 domains in 172 proteins in SMART's nrdb database.

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