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Biological and pathological activities of interleukin-22

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Abstract

Interleukin (IL)-22, a member of the IL-10 family, is a cytokine secreted by several types of immune cells including IL-22+CD4+ T cells (Th22) and IL-22 expressing innate leukocytes (ILC22). Recent studies have demonstrated that IL-22 is a key component in mucosal barrier defense, tissue repair, epithelial cell survival, and proliferation. Furthermore, accumulating evidence has defined both protective and pathogenic properties of IL-22 in a number of conditions including autoimmune disease, infection, and malignancy. In this review, we summarize the expression and signaling pathway and functional characteristics of the IL-22 and IL-22 receptor axis in physiological and pathological scenarios and discuss the potential to target IL-22 signaling to treat human diseases.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, University of Michigan School of Medicine, 109 Zina Pitcher Place, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Mirna Perusina Lanfranca, Yanwei Lin, Weiping Zou & Timothy Frankel

  2. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao-Tong University, Shanghai, 200001, China

    Yanwei Lin & Jingyuan Fang

  3. The University of Michigan Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Weiping Zou & Timothy Frankel

  4. Graduate Programs in Immunology and Tumor Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA

    Weiping Zou

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  1. Mirna Perusina Lanfranca
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Perusina Lanfranca, M., Lin, Y., Fang, J. et al. Biological and pathological activities of interleukin-22. J Mol Med 94, 523–534 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00109-016-1391-6

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