Interleukin 29

Interleukin-29 (IL-29) is a protein of the helical cytokine family and is a type III interferon. It is also known as IFNλ1 and is highly similar in amino acid sequence to the IL-28, the other type III interferon.

IL-29 plays an important role in host defenses against microbes and its gene is highly upregulated in cells infected with viruses.

The IL-29 gene is found on chromosome 19 in humans.