Cytokines are small, soluble proteins with pleiotropic effects on a variety of cell types. Cytokines have a regulatory function over the immune system and mediate aspects of inflammatory response. They exert their biological effects through the binding of membrane-bound receptors which, in turn, initiate signal transduction cascades and elicit physiological changes in their target cell. Interleukin-17 (IL-17) and its cognate receptor, IL-17R, are an example of such a cytokine receptor pair. Originally identified as a rodent cDNA termed CTLA8, IL-17 is capable of inducing the secretion of IL-6 and IL-8 and augmenting the expression of ICAM-1 in human fibroblast cultures. The IL-17 protein exhibits a striking degree of homology with the HSV13 protein which mimics its function. The IL-17 receptor is a type I transmembrane protein 864 amino acids in length, that is highly expressed in spleen and kidney.
