Human Interleukin 7 (IL-7) is a potent lymphoid cell growth factor stimulating the proliferation of lymphoid progenitors. IL7 can associate with the hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) to form a hybrid cytokine that functions as a pre-pro-B cell growth-stimulating factor. Human IL7 cDNA encodes a 177 amino acid precursor protein containing a 25 amino acid signal peptide and a 152 amino acid mature protein. Human and mouse IL7 share 65% sequence identity in the mature region and both exhibit cross-species activity. IL-7 signals via IL-7 receptor (IL7R) activating multiple pathways including JaK/STAT and PI3K/AKT, which regulate lymphocyte survival, glucose uptake, proliferation, and differentiation. IL-7 is also associated with cytoplasmic IL2-R gamma for signal transduction.
