Description: The human IL-29 ELISA is an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the quantitative detection of human IL-29. The human IL-29 ELISA is for research use only. Not for diagnostic or therapeutic procedures.
IL-29 is a protein of the helical cytokine family and is a type III interferon sharing many functions with the type I family of interferons. The IL-29 gene is found on chromosome 19 in humans. It is also known as IFN-lambda1 and is highly similar in amino acid sequence to the IL-28, the other type III interferon. IL-29 does not bind the IFN-alpha/beta receptor, but instead signals through a receptor composed of the IL-28R1 and IL-10R2 subunits. Initial characterizations of the receptor demonstrated that it has a ubiquitous tissue distribution and is expressed on most non-hematopoietic cells. Generation of native IL-29 is achieved by monocytes and dendritic cells in response to viral infection and stimulation with toll-like receptor ligands. IL-29 plays an important role in host defenses against microbes and its gene is highly upregulated in cells infected with viruses. IL 29 has significant antiviral activity and immunoregulatory properties and appears to inhibit T helper-2 (Th2) responses regarding inhibition of IL-13 production, compared with IL-4 or IL-5. The antiviral activities of IL-29 include the upregulation of MHC Class I expression on the cell surface and the expression of PKR. The ligand/receptor complex seems to signal through the Jak-STAT pathway.
