Interleukin-12 subunit alpha (IL12A gene) and Interleukin-12 subunit beta (IL12B gene) (IL-12)

The term “IL-12 gene” refers to the genetic components (IL12A and IL12B) that encode the subunits of the interleukin-12 (IL-12) protein, a heterodimeric cytokine composed of two polypeptide chains: p35 (encoded by IL12A) and p40 (encoded by IL12B)[2][3]. IL-12 itself is a key immunoregulatory cytokine, central to bridging innate and adaptive immunity, and its expression drives the development of Th1 cells, stimulates production of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), and regulates key cellular immune responses[1][2]. As genes, IL12A and IL12B are not considered direct therapeutic targets; rather, their protein product, IL-12, is targeted in therapies for conditions such as autoimmune diseases, infections, and cancers[1][2]. Targeting the “IL-12 gene” is not standard in drug development, and there is ambiguity in the term, as the canonical target is the cytokine protein, not the gene itself. **Note:** "IL-12 gene" is an imprecise or incorrect designation for a therapeutic target; the standard therapeutic target is the protein "Interleukin-12" (IL-12, or IL-12p70), not its individual genes. Drugs and biologics that modulate immune responses act by targeting the IL-12 protein or the IL-12 receptor rather than the gene directly[1][2][3].

Other names

IL12AIL12Binterleukin-12 geneIL-12 p35 geneIL-12 p40 gene