Interleukin 25

Interleukin-25 (IL-25) is a cytokine that belongs to the IL-17 cytokine family and is secreted by type 2 helper T cells (Th2) and mast cells. It is also known as IL-17E. IL-25 induces the production of other cytokines, including IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in multiple tissues, which stimulate the expansion of eosinophils. This cytokine is an important molecule controlling immunity of the gut and has been implicated in chronic inflammation associated with the gastrointestinal tract. Further, the IL-25 gene has been identified in a chromosomal region associated with autoimmune diseases of the gut such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), although no direct evidence suggests that IL-25 plays any role in this disease.