Interleukin-12 (IL-12, Interleukin-12 subunit p35, p40, p70, Cytotoxic lymphocyte maturation factor , CLMF, NKSF, natural killer cell stimulatory factor)

Interleukin-12 is a pleiotropic cytokine, which is produced primarily by stimulated macrophages. IL-12 has been shown to be a proinflammatory cytokine produced by phagocytic cells, B cells, and other antigen-presenting cells that modulate adaptive immune responses by favoring the generation of T-helper type 1 cells. IL-12 exerts a variety of biological effects on T and natural killer cells. IL-12 induced IFN-gamma acts in a positive feedback loop that represents an important amplifying mechanism in the inflammatory response to infections. Its role in directing development of a Th1 type immune response from naive T cells demonstrates its critical role in regulation of the immune response and strongly suggests its potential usefulness in cancer therapy.