Interleukin-23 (IL-23)

Interleukin-23 (IL-23) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine belonging to the IL-12 family. It plays a central role in immune system regulation, particularly in bridging innate and adaptive immunity and driving inflammatory responses. IL-23 is primarily produced by activated dendritic cells, macrophages, monocytes, and to some extent by B cells and other immune cell types upon antigenic stimulation. IL-23 is a heterodimeric protein composed of two subunits: p19 (unique to IL-23) and p40 (shared with interleukin 12 (IL-12)). It is a therapeutic target, particularly for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, with therapies targeting either the cytokine itself or its receptor.

Therapeutic antibodies bind to IL-23, preventing its interaction with the IL-23 receptor, thereby inhibiting downstream signaling and inflammatory responses.