Recombinant Mouse IL-31 (Mammalian-expressed) Protein, CF

Recombinant Mouse IL-31 (Mammalian-expressed) Protein, CF Summary

Product Specifications

Product Datasheets

Carrier Free

CF stands for Carrier Free (CF). We typically add Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) as a carrier protein to our recombinant proteins. Adding a carrier protein enhances protein stability, increases shelf-life, and allows the recombinant protein to be stored at a more dilute concentration. The carrier free version does not contain BSA.

In general, we advise purchasing the recombinant protein with BSA for use in cell or tissue culture, or as an ELISA standard. In contrast, the carrier free protein is recommended for applications, in which the presence of BSA could interfere.

Background: IL-31

Mouse Interleukin-31 (IL-31) is secreted, short-chain member of the alpha -helical IL-6 family of cytokines (1, 2). The mouse IL‑31 cDNA encodes a 163 amino acid (aa) precursor that contains a signal peptide and a mature protein (3, 4). The mature region shows four alpha ‑helices which would be expected to generate a typical up-up-down-down topology. Mature mouse IL-31 shares 29% and 63% aa sequence identity with human and rat IL-31, respectively. Neither mouse nor human IL-31 are active on their counterparts receptors (1). IL-31 is associated with activated T cells and is preferentially expressed by Th2 rather than Th1 cells (1). IL-31 signals via a heterodimeric receptor complex composed of a gp130-related molecule termed IL-31 RA (also GPL and GLM-R) and the 180 kDa oncostatin M receptor (OSM R beta) (4‑8). In the complex, IL‑31 directly binds to IL‑31 RA, not OSM R (4, 5). IL-31 signaling has been shown to involve the Jak/STAT pathway, the PI3 kinase/AKT cascade, and MAP kinase pathway. Although multiple isoforms of IL-31 RA are known, only a form that contains the entire length of the cytoplasmic domain is signaling-capable (4‑7). The IL-31 receptor is constitutively expressed by keratinocytes and up-regulated by IFN-gamma on monocytes (1, 3). Other cells known to be responsive to IL-31 include bronchial epithelium, type II alveolar cells, goblet cells, and likely hematopoietic progenitor cells (9‑11). Functionally, it has been shown that IL-31 may contribute to clinical pruritis (itching) associated with nonatopic dermatitis (1, 3, 12). This may be a consequence of IL-31's ability to induce keratinocyte secretion of multiple cytokines, including TARC, GRO‑ alpha, MIP‑3 beta and I-309 (1). In addition, IL-31 promotes proliferation of high-density cell populations such as myeloid progenitor cells, but conversely suppresses proliferation of lung epithelial cells (1). Finally, IL-31 may actually have a modulating effect on T cell subsets, influencing the ratio between Th1 and Th2 cells (1).

Related Research Areas

• IL-6 Family
• Search Cytokine and Growth Factor Products
• Th2 Cells