Interleukin 24

Interleukin 24 (IL-24) is a protein that in humans is encoded by the IL24 gene. It is a member of the interleukin family of cytokines, which are small proteins important in cell signaling. IL-24 is also known as melanoma differentiation-associated 7 (mda-7) due to its discovery as a gene that is up-regulated during the induction of terminal differentiation in melanoma cells.

Function

IL-24 is produced by immune cells and acts on non-immune cells, such as epithelial cells and fibroblasts. It has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumor cells and is also involved in the immune response against infections. IL-24 can induce apoptosis in cancer cells without affecting normal cells.

Clinical significance

IL-24 has been studied for its potential use in cancer therapy. It has been shown to selectively kill various types of cancer cells while having little to no effect on normal cells. This selective killing is believed to be due to the activation of multiple cell death pathways in cancer cells by IL-24.

See also

• Interleukin
• Cytokine
• Apoptosis
• Cancer therapy

References

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External links

• IL24 gene at NCBI
• IL24 protein at UniProt

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