{"symbol":"IL13","synonyms":["IL-13","P600"],"name":"interleukin 13","description":"This gene encodes an immunoregulatory cytokine produced primarily by activated Th2 cells. This cytokine is involved in several stages of B-cell maturation and differentiation. It up-regulates CD23 and MHC class II expression, and promotes IgE isotype switching of B cells. This cytokine down-regulates macrophage activity, thereby inhibits the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. This cytokine is found to be critical to the pathogenesis of allergen-induced asthma but operates through mechanisms independent of IgE and eosinophils. This gene, IL3, IL5, IL4, and CSF2 form a cytokine gene cluster on chromosome 5q, with this gene particularly close to IL4. [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008]","ncbiEntrezGeneId":3596,"ncbiEntrezGeneUrl":"http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3596","proteins":[{"symbol":"IL13_HUMAN","href":"/api/1.0/protein/IL13_HUMAN"}],"hgncRootFamilies":[{"name":"Interleukins (IL)","href":"/api/1.0/gene_family/Interleukins+%28IL%29"}]}