Interleukin-30

Interleukins (from Latin/Greek inter = between; leukos = white; kinein = to move) are a group of endogenous, short-chain peptide hormones (cytokines) of the immune system. Interleukins are mainly formed and secreted by stimulated leukocytes, monocytes and macrophages. Interleukins are mediators for the induction, course and control of T-cell-mediated cytotoxic immune reactions and B-cell activation (antibody production). So far, about 38 different interleukins have been clearly identified. Each cytokine of the interleukin group is nomenclatically assigned a number for its classification (IL-1 to IL-38; status 2017).

Some structurally related substances have been grouped into families. Their members often have a similar function or participate in the fine regulation of immune reactions, for example by regulating the synthesis of related interleukins.

Interleukin-30 is a potent anti-inflammatory cytokine, a 28 kDa protein that can suppress inflammatory processes. Interleukin-30 has a structural analogy to interleukin-6.

A closer relationship exists between interleukin-30 (also IL-27p28) and interleukin-27, which is the alpha subunit of IL-27 (IL-27p28) encoded by the Epstein-Barr virus-induced gene 3, also known as EBI3. However, the heterodimeric interleukin-27 has a different biological function. IL-30 can also be produced and secreted independently from IL-27.

IL-30 is expressed by hepatocytes but by lymphocytes.

Remarkably, IL-30 can be activated by proinflammatory signals, e.g. by interferon-gamma (IFN-γ).

Therapeutically, there are approaches to use IL-30 as an anti-inflammatory cytokine in inflammatory liver affections. Using recombinant IL-30 it could be shown that interleukin-30 is able to inhibit the differentiation of Th-17 cells from naive CD4 (+) T cells.

In animal experiments with lipopolysaccharide-induced sepsis (LPS) it could be shown that the hepatotoxic effects can be prevented by pretreatment with interleukin-30. Interleukin-30 thus has a hepatoprotective effect in certain inflammatory situations.

In advanced prostate carcinoma, the extent of interleukin-30 expression by tumor-infecting leukocytes parallels tumor progression.

1. Dibra D et al (2012) Interleukin-30: a novel antiinflammatory cytokine candidate for prevention and treatment of inflammatory cytokine-induced liver injury. Hepatology 55:1204-1214.
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25838055DiMeo S et al.(2014) Interleukin-30 expression in prostate cancer and its draining lymph nodes correlates with advanced grade and stage. Clin Cancer Res 20:585-594.
3. Yan J et al (2016) Interleukin-30 (IL27p28) alleviates experimental sepsis by modulating cytokine profiles in NKT cells. J Hepatol 64:1128-1136.
4. Zhang J et al(2016) Soluble expression and purification of the functional interleukin-30 protein in Escherichia coli. Prep Biochem Biotechnol 46:539-545.