Interleukin-7 receptor

IL-7 receptor and signaling, common γ chain (blue) and IL-7 receptor-α (green)

Interleukin-7 receptor-α
Identifiers
Symbol	IL7R
Alt. symbols	CD127
Entrez	3575
HUGO	6024
OMIM	146661
RefSeq	NM_002185
UniProt	P16871
Other data
Locus	Chr. 5 p13

interleukin 2 receptor, gamma
Identifiers
Symbol	IL2RG
Alt. symbols	SCIDX1, IMD4, CD132
Entrez	3561
HUGO	6010
OMIM	308380
RefSeq	NM_000206
UniProt	P31785
Other data
Locus	Chr. X q13

The interleukin-7 receptor is a protein found on the surface of cells. It is made up of two different smaller protein chains - i.e. it is a heterodimer, and consists of two subunits, interleukin-7 receptor-α (CD127) and common-γ chain receptor (CD132). The common-γ chain receptors is shared with various cytokines, including interleukin-2, -4, -9, and -15. Interleukin-7 receptor is expressed on various cell types, including naive and memory T cells and many others.

Function

Interleukin-7 receptor has been shown to play a critical role in the development of immune cells called lymphocytes - specifically in a process known as V(D)J recombination. This protein is also found to control the accessibility of a region of the genome that contains the T-cell receptor gamma gene, by STAT5 and histone acetylation. Knockout studies in mice suggest that blocking apoptosis is an essential function of this protein during differentiation and activation of T lymphocytes. Functional defects in this protein may be associated with the pathogenesis of severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID).

Diseases

Several diseases are associated with Interleukin-7 receptor including T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

See also

• Cluster of differentiation

External links

• IL7R protein, human at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

This article incorporates text from the United States National Library of Medicine, which is in the public domain.