HUMAN IL-17 - A NOVEL CYTOKINE DERIVED FROM T-CELLS

A cDNA encoding human IL-17 (hIL-17) was cloned from a CD4(+) T cell l ibrary, The predicted 155-amino acids sequence contains an N-terminal signal peptide and exhibits 72% amino acid identity with HVS13, an ope n reading frame from a T-lymphotropic Herpesvirus saimiri, and 63% wit h murine CTLA8. High levels of hIL-17 were induced from primary periph eral blood CD4(+) T cells upon stimulation. When expressed in CV1/EBNA cells, recombinant hIL-17 was secreted in both glycosylated and nongl ycosylated forms, A hIL-17.Fc fusion protein and supernatants from cel ls transfected with hIL-17 induced IL-6 and IL-8 production and enhanc ed the surface expression of the intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (IC AM-1) in human fibroblasts.