IL13 Protein

Background

Interleukin 13 (IL13) is a cytokine primarily involved in the regulation of immune responses, particularly those associated with allergies, asthma, and parasitic infections. IL-13 is produced mainly by T-helper type 2 (Th2) cells, a subset of CD4+ T cells that are central to immune responses against extracellular pathogens, especially helminths, and in promoting allergic reactions. Other cell types, including natural killer (NK) cells, mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, and innate lymphoid cells (ILC2), also secrete IL-13. IL-13 plays a critical role in coordinating allergic inflammation by promoting the production of IgE by B cells, mucus secretion in the lungs, and tissue remodeling, all of which are hallmarks of allergic diseases such as asthma. Importantly, IL-13 shares some overlapping functions with IL-4, another Th2 cytokine, due to the fact that both cytokines signal through a shared receptor subunit, the IL-4 receptor alpha (IL-4Rα). Despite this overlap, IL-13 also exerts unique effects, particularly in tissue fibrosis and remodeling, where it is a key driver.