Key steps of the JAK-STAT pathway for type 1 and 2 cytokine receptors

Signal transduction. (Cytokine receptor at center left.)

Cytokine receptors are receptors that bind cytokines^[1].

In recent years, the cytokine receptors have come to demand the attention of more investigators than cytokines themselves, partly because of their remarkable characteristics, and partly because a deficiency of cytokine receptors has now been directly linked to certain debilitating immunodeficiency states. In this regard, and also because the redundancy and pleiotropy of cytokines are a consequence of their homologous receptors, many authorities are now of the opinion that a classification of cytokine receptors would be more clinically and experimentally useful.

Classification[edit]

A classification of cytokine receptors based on their three-dimensional structure has been attempted. (Such a classification, though seemingly cumbersome, provides several unique perspectives for attractive pharmacotherapeutic targets.)

• 
  Type I cytokine receptors, whose members have certain conserved motifs in their extracellular amino-acid domain. The IL-2 receptor belongs to this chain, whose γ-chain (common to several other cytokines) deficiency is directly responsible for the x-linked form of Severe Combined Immunodeficiency (X-SCID).


• 
  Type II cytokine receptors, whose members are receptors mainly for interferons.


• 
  Immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily, which are ubiquitously present throughout several cells and tissues of the vertebrate body


• 
  Tumor necrosis factor receptor family, whose members share a cysteine-rich common extracellular binding domain, and includes several other non-cytokine ligands like receptors, CD40, CD27 and CD30, besides the ligands on which the family is named (TNF).


• 
  Chemokine receptors, two of which acting as binding proteins for HIV (CXCR4 and CCR5). They are G protein coupled receptors.


• TGF beta receptors

Comparison[edit]

Solubility[edit]

Cytokine receptors may be both membrane-bound and soluble. Soluble cytokine receptors are extremely common regulators of cytokine function. Soluble cytokine receptors typically consist of the extracellular portions of membrane-bound receptors. .^[3]

See also[edit]

• STAT protein

References[edit]

External links[edit]

• 
  Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction map from KEGG
  


• 
  Cytokine+receptors at the US National Library of Medicine Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)

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