| First Author | Catalan-Dibene J | Year | 2017 |
| Journal | J Immunol | Volume | 199 |
| Issue | 9 | Pages | 3326-3335 |
| PubMed ID | 28978694 | Mgi Jnum | J:251374 |
| Mgi Id | MGI:6103709 | Doi | 10.4049/jimmunol.1700534 |
| Citation | Catalan-Dibene J, et al. (2017) Identification of IL-40, a Novel B Cell-Associated Cytokine. J Immunol 199(9):3326-3335 |
| abstractText | We describe a novel B cell-associated cytokine, encoded by an uncharacterized gene (C17orf99; chromosome 17 open reading frame 99), that is expressed in bone marrow and fetal liver and whose expression is also induced in peripheral B cells upon activation. C17orf99 is only present in mammalian genomes, and it encodes a small ( approximately 27-kDa) secreted protein unrelated to other cytokine families, suggesting a function in mammalian immune responses. Accordingly, C17orf99 expression is induced in the mammary gland upon the onset of lactation, and a C17orf99(-/-) mouse exhibits reduced levels of IgA in the serum, gut, feces, and lactating mammary gland. C17orf99(-/-) mice have smaller and fewer Peyer''s patches and lower numbers of IgA-secreting cells. The microbiome of C17orf99(-/-) mice exhibits altered composition, likely a consequence of the reduced levels of IgA in the gut. Although naive B cells can express C17orf99 upon activation, their production increases following culture with various cytokines, including IL-4 and TGF-beta1, suggesting that differentiation can result in the expansion of C17orf99-producing B cells during some immune responses. Taken together, these observations indicate that C17orf99 encodes a novel B cell-associated cytokine, which we have called IL-40, that plays an important role in humoral immune responses and may also play a role in B cell development. Importantly, IL-40 is also expressed by human activated B cells and by several human B cell lymphomas. The latter observations suggest that it may play a role in the pathogenesis of certain human diseases. |
