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About the Authors:
Jipseol Jeong
Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
Woo H. Kim
Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
Jeongmi Yoo
Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
Changhwan Lee
Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
Suk Kim
Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
Jae-Hyeon Cho
Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
Hyung-Kwan Jang
Affiliation: Departments of Infectious Diseases and Avian Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine and Korea Zoonosis Research Institute, Chonbuk National University, Jeonju, Korea
Dong W. Kim
Affiliation: National Institute of Animal Science, RDA, Cheonan, Chungnam, Korea
Hyun S. Lillehoj
Affiliation: Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
Wongi Min
* E-mail: [email protected]
Affiliation: College of Veterinary Medicine and Research Institute of Life Science, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Korea
Introduction
Interleukin 2 (IL2) and IL15 play key roles in the regulation of homeostasis and function of T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. The effects of these cytokines on target cells are mediated by their heterotrimeric receptors that consist of a specific α-subunit and two shared subunits, IL2 and IL15 receptor β (IL2/15Rβ, CD122) and a common cytokine receptor γ (γc) [1], [2]. Although the α-subunits of the IL2 and IL15 receptors define the binding specificity of the cytokines, the subunits do not participate directly in intracellular signaling due to their short cytoplasmic tails. Thus, the cytoplasmic regions of IL2/15Rβ and γc, members of the type-I cytokine receptor family that display a characteristic spacing of four conserved cysteine residues and a WSXWS motif, bind to intracellular signaling molecules and transmit intracellular signals [3]–[5].
The gene encoding IL2/15Rβ is composed of ten exons and nine introns, resulting in an 80 kDa transmembrane receptor. IL2/15Rβ is expressed on NK cells and CD8+ T cells and is present on activated CD4+ T cells, B cells, and monocytes [6]–[8]. IL2/15Rβ plays...