IL12 is produced by macrophages and B lymphocytes and has been shown to have multiple effects on T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. These effects include inducing production of IFNgamma and TNF by resting and activated T and NK cells, synergizing with other IFNgamma inducers at both the transcriptional and posttranscriptional levels. This interaction induces IFNgamma gene expression, enhancing the cytotoxic activity of resting NK and T cells, inducing and synergizing with IL2 in the generation of lymphokineactivated killer (LAK) cells, acting as a comitogen to stimulate proliferation of resting T cells, and inducing proliferation of activated T and NK cells. Current evidence indicates that IL-12, produced by macrophages in response to infectious agents, is a central mediator of the cell-mediated immune response by its actions on the development, proliferation, and activities of TH1 cells. In its role as the initiator of cellmediated immunity, it has been suggested that IL12 has therapeutic potential as a stimulator of cellmediated immune responses to microbial pathogens, metastatic cancers, and viral infections such as AIDS. - Proteine/Peptide
