http://www.creativebiomart.net/description_382664_12.htm

IL27A, also referred as the IL12 p35-related protein, p28, is one subunit of a heterodimeric cytokine complex, and associates with another subunit EBI3 (EBV-induced gene 3), an IL12 p40-related protein (IL27B). IL-27 is a cytokine with pro- and anti-inflammatory properties, that can regulate T helper cell development, suppress T-cell proliferation, stimulate cytotoxic T cell activity, induce isotype switching in B-cells, and that has diverse effects on innate immune cells. Among its target cells are CD4 T helper cells which can differentiate in type 1 effector cells (TH1), type 2 effector cells (TH2) and IL17 producing helper T-cells (TH17). It drives rapid clonal expansion of naive but not memory CD4 T-cells. It also strongly synergizes with IL-12 to trigger interferon-gamma / IFN-gamma production of naive CD4 T-cells, binds to the cytokine receptor WSX-1 / TCCR which appears to be required but not sufficient for IL-27-mediated signal transduction. IL-27 potentiate the early phase of TH1 response and suppress TH2 and TH17 differentiation. It induces the differentiation of TH1 cells via two distinct pathways, p38 MAPK / TBX21- and ICAM1 / ITGAL / ERK-dependent pathways. IL-27 also induces STAT1, STAT3, STAT4 and STAT5 phosphorylation and activates TBX21/T-Bet via STAT1 with resulting IL12RB2 up-regulation, an event crucial to TH1 cell commitment. IL-27 suppresses the expression of GATA3, the inhibitor TH1 cells development. IL-27 reveals to be a potent inhibitor of TH17 cell development and of IL-17 production. IL-27 also antagonizes the effects of some cytokines such as IL6 through direct effects on T cells. Another important role of IL-27 is its antitumor activity and antiangiogenic activity.