IL-22 is a cytokine that acts mainly on epithelial cells. In the skin, it mediates keratinocyte proliferation and epidermal hyperplasia and is thought to play a central role in inflammatory diseases with marked epidermal acanthosis, such as psoriasis. Although IL-22 was initially considered a Th17 cytokine, increasing evidence suggests that T helper cells can produce IL-22 even without IL-17 ex...

Th17 cells are a distinct lineage of effector CD4(+) T cells characterized by their production of interleukin (IL)-17. We demonstrate that Th17 cells also expressed IL-22, an IL-10 family member, at substantially higher amounts than T helper (Th)1 or Th2 cells. Similar to IL-17A, IL-22 expression was initiated by transforming growth factor beta signaling in the context of IL-6 and other proinfl...

Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is a member of the IL-10 family of cytokines. Hematopoietic cells express IL-22, and this cytokine signals through the heterodimeric IL-22 receptor expressed by non-hematopoietic cells. A growing body of evidence points toward a role for IL-22 in a diverse array of biological functions ranging from cellular proliferation, tissue protection and regeneration, and inflammati...

Anti-inflammatory treatment of autoimmune diseases is associated with an increased risk of reactivation tuberculosis (TB). Besides interleukin (IL-17)A, IL-22 represents a classical T helper (TH)17 cytokine and shares similar pathological effects in inflammatory diseases such as psoriasis or arthritis. Whereas IL-17A supports protective immune responses during mycobacterial infections, the role...

Pollution, including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), may contribute to increased prevalence of asthma. PAH can bind to the Aryl hydrocarbon Receptor (AhR), a transcription factor involved in Th17/Th22 type polarization. These cells produce IL17A and IL-22, which allow neutrophil recruitment, airway smooth muscle proliferation and tissue repair and remodeling. Increased IL-17 and IL-22 p...

Considerable functional heterogeneity within human natural killer (NK) cells has been revealed through the characterization of distinct NK-cell subsets. Accordingly, a small subset of CD56(+)NKp44(+)NK cells, termed NK-22 cells, was recently described within secondary lymphoid tissue (SLT) as IL-22(-) when resting, with a minor fraction of this population becoming IL-22(+) when activated. Here ...

BACKGROUND Interleukin (IL)-22 is a critical mediator of mucosal immunity and tissue regeneration, protecting against a number of respiratory pathogens. Whether IL-22 confers protection against chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infection in cystic fibrosis (CF) is unknown. METHODS Explanted CF lungs were examined for IL-22 production and immune-localization. A murine model of persistent pul...

Interleukin (IL)-22 is a STAT3-activating cytokine displaying characteristic AU-rich elements (ARE) in the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of its mRNA. This architecture suggests gene regulation by modulation of mRNA stability. Since related cytokines undergo post-transcriptional regulation by ARE-binding tristetraprolin (TTP), the role of this destabilizing protein in IL-22 production was inve...

Interleukin-22 (IL-22) is a member of the IL-10 cytokine family that binds to a heterodimeric receptor consisting of IL-22 receptor 1 (IL-22R1) and IL-10R2. IL-22R expression was initially characterized on epithelial cells, and plays an essential role in a number of inflammatory diseases. Recently, a functional receptor was detected on cancer cells such as hepatocarcinoma and lung carcinoma, bu...

OBJECTIVES To study the role of interleukin 22 (IL-22) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS IL-22 serum levels were measured in patients with early, treatment-naive RA (n=49) and in 45 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals as controls. Patients were assessed clinically and radiographically at baseline and followed up for 2 years. Correlations of IL-22 serum levels were sought with paramet...