Mouse IL23

IL-23 (interleukin 23) is a heterodimeric cytokine composed of two disulfide-linked subunits, a p19 subunit that is unique to IL-23, and a p40 subunit that is shared with IL-12. Mouse p19 cDNA encodes a 196 amino acid residue (aa) precursor protein with a putative 19 aa signal peptide and 177 aa mature protein. Although p19 is expressed by activated macrophages, dendritic cells, T cells, and endothelial cells, only activated macrophages and dendritic cells express p40 concurrently to produce IL-23. In mouse, IL-23 but not IL-12, has also been shown to induce memory T cells to secret IL-17, a potent proinflammatory cytokine. IL-12 and IL-23 can induce IL-12 production from mouse splenic DC of both the CD8- and CD8+ subtypes, however only IL-23 can act directly on CD8+ DC to mediate immunogenic presentation of poorly immunogenic tumor/self peptide (1-5).