IL-12:Interleikin-12(IL-12)was discovered as a cytokine with aunique heterodimeric structure.It was originally found in cultere su-pematant from B lymphobastoid cell lines as natural killer cell stimu-latory factor by M.Kobayashi,et al.in 1989.Recent studies haveshown that the majority of IL-12 is produced by macrophages/mono-cytes following appropriate stimulation.IL-12 Palys a pivotal role inthe regulation of cell-mediated immunity,exerting pleiotropic effectson T cells and natural killer cells.This function is promoted by theIL-12 induced production of interferon-γ from both resting and acti-vated NK and T cells,by the proliferative activity of IL-12 on acti-vated NK and T cells,by enhancing the cytotoxic activity of NKcells,and by supperting cytotoxic T lymphocyte generation.IL-12also promotes the development of naive murine CD4~ T cells into Thelper type 1(Th1)cells in response to antigen.Based on thesepotent immunomodulatory activities,IL-12 has been shown to havetherapeutic activity in a variety

IL-12:Interleikin-12(IL-12)was discovered as a cytokine with aunique heterodimeric structure.It was originally found in cultere su-pematant from B lymphobastoid cell lines as natural killer cell stimu-latory factor by M.Kobayashi,et al.in 1989.Recent studies haveshown that the majority of IL-12 is produced by macrophages/mono-cytes following appropriate stimulation.IL-12 Palys a pivotal role inthe regulation of cell-mediated immunity,exerting pleiotropic effectson T cells and natural killer cells.This function is promoted by theIL-12 induced production of interferon-γ from both resting and acti-vated NK and T cells,by the proliferative activity of IL-12 on acti-vated NK and T cells,by enhancing the cytotoxic activity of NKcells,and by supperting cytotoxic T lymphocyte generation.IL-12also promotes the development of naive murine CD4~ T cells into Thelper type 1(Th1)cells in response to antigen.Based on thesepotent immunomodulatory activities,IL-12 has been shown to havetherapeutic activity in a variety

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