| HGNC Family | Interferons (IFN) |
| Name | interferon, lambda 2 |
| Description | This gene encodes a cytokine distantly related to type I interferons and the IL-10 family. This gene, interleukin 28B (IL28B), and interleukin 29 (IL29) are three closely related cytokine genes that form a cytokine gene cluster on a chromosomal region mapped to 19q13. Expression of the cytokines encoded by the three genes can be induced by viral infection. All three cytokines have been shown to interact with a heterodimeric class II cytokine receptor that consists of interleukin 10 receptor, beta (IL10RB) and interleukin 28 receptor, alpha (IL28RA). [provided by RefSeq, Jul 2008] |
| Summary |
{"type": "root", "children": [{"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n IFNL2, also known as interleukin‐28A, is a member of the type III interferon family that plays a pivotal role in antiviral host defense. It is synthesized in response to viral infections and, upon binding to a receptor complex composed of IFN‐λ receptor 1 (IL‑28Rα) and IL‑10Rβ, it activates the JAK–STAT signaling pathway. This activation in turn leads to the expression of interferon‐stimulated genes (ISGs) that establish an antiviral state in responsive cells, particularly at epithelial barriers such as those in the liver, lung, and gastrointestinal tract."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "1"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": ""}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n Although the antiviral activity of IFNL2 tends to be less potent across a broad array of cell types compared with type I interferons, its actions are more focused because of the restricted expression of its receptor. This targeted activity enables IFNL2 to contribute significantly to the innate immune response by limiting viral replication and spread in key barrier tissues."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "3"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In the pulmonary epithelium, for example, IFNL2 produced by alveolar type II cells leads to the induction of antiviral genes that help diminish viral load during influenza infection. These protective effects occur largely independent of type I IFN signaling, thereby highlighting IFNL2’s complementary role in antiviral immunity."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "5"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " Moreover, in hepatic cells, the contribution of IFNL2 to the control of hepatitis C virus infection has been demonstrated, although its efficacy can be modulated by regulatory proteins such as SOCS that attenuate signaling."}, {"type": "fg", "children": [{"type": "fg_f", "ref": "6"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}]}, {"type": "t", "text": "\n "}, {"type": "p", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "\n In summary, IFNL2 functions as an important mediator of epithelial antiviral defense by triggering ISG expression via a distinct receptor complex. Its targeted action not only limits viral propagation at critical interfaces but also helps modulate broader immune responses to maintain tissue homeostasis.\n "}]}, {"type": "rg", "children": [{"type": "r", "ref": 1, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Sergei V Kotenko, Grant Gallagher, Vitaliy V Baurin, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "IFN-lambdas mediate antiviral protection through a distinct class II cytokine receptor complex."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nat Immunol (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/ni875"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/ni875"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12483210"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12483210"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 2, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Paul Sheppard, Wayne Kindsvogel, Wenfeng Xu, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "IL-28, IL-29 and their class II cytokine receptor IL-28R."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Nat Immunol (2003)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1038/ni873"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1038/ni873"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "12469119"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12469119"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 3, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Anthony Meager, Kumuthini Visvalingam, Paula Dilger, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biological activity of interleukins-28 and -29: comparison with type I interferons."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Cytokine (2005)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.cyto.2005.04.003"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cyto.2005.04.003"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15899585"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15899585"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 4, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Matthew P Hardy, Catherine M Owczarek, Lars S Jermiin, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Characterization of the type I interferon locus and identification of novel genes."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Genomics (2004)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.ygeno.2004.03.003"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ygeno.2004.03.003"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15233997"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15233997"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 5, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Jieru Wang, Rebecca Oberley-Deegan, Shuanglin Wang, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Differentiated human alveolar type II cells secrete antiviral IL-29 (IFN-lambda 1) in response to influenza A infection."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "J Immunol (2009)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.4049/jimmunol.182.3.1296"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.4049/jimmunol.182.3.1296"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "19155475"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19155475"}]}, {"type": "r", "ref": 6, "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Stephan Brand, Kathrin Zitzmann, Julia Dambacher, et al. "}, {"type": "b", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "SOCS-1 inhibits expression of the antiviral proteins 2',5'-OAS and MxA induced by the novel interferon-lambdas IL-28A and IL-29."}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " "}, {"type": "i", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "Biochem Biophys Res Commun (2005)"}]}, {"type": "t", "text": " DOI: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.04.004"}], "href": "https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bbrc.2005.04.004"}, {"type": "t", "text": " PMID: "}, {"type": "a", "children": [{"type": "t", "text": "15850793"}], "href": "https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/15850793"}]}]}]}
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| Synonyms | IL28A, IL-28A |
| Proteins | IFNL2_HUMAN |
| NCBI Gene ID | 282616 |
| API | |
| Download Associations | |
| Predicted Functions |
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| Co-expressed Genes |
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| Expression in Tissues and Cell Lines |
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IFNL2 has 2,108 functional associations with biological entities spanning 7 categories (molecular profile, functional term, phrase or reference, disease, phenotype or trait, chemical, structural feature, cell line, cell type or tissue, gene, protein or microRNA) extracted from 61 datasets.
Click the + buttons to view associations for IFNL2 from the datasets below.
If available, associations are ranked by standardized value
| Dataset | Summary | |
|---|---|---|
| Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of IFNL2 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Adult Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray | tissue samples with high or low expression of IFNL2 gene relative to other tissue samples from the Allen Brain Atlas Developing Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles by Microarray dataset. | |
| Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of IFNL2 gene relative to other tissues from the Allen Brain Atlas Prenatal Human Brain Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of IFNL2 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles | cell lines with high or low expression of IFNL2 gene relative to other cell lines from the CCLE Cell Line Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of IFNL2 gene from the CHEA Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of IFNL2 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| ChEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 | transcription factors binding the promoter of IFNL2 gene in low- or high-throughput transcription factor functional studies from the CHEA Transcription Factor Targets 2022 dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components containing IFNL2 protein from the COMPARTMENTS Curated Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores | cellular components co-occuring with IFNL2 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 | cellular components co-occuring with IFNL2 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the COMPARTMENTS Text-mining Protein Localization Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of IFNL2 gene relative to other cell lines from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles | cell lines with IFNL2 gene mutations from the COSMIC Cell Line Gene Mutation Profiles dataset. | |
| DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency | cell lines with fitness changed by IFNL2 gene knockdown relative to other cell lines from the DepMap CRISPR Gene Dependency dataset. | |
| DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases associated with IFNL2 gene in GWAS datasets from the DISEASES Experimental Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores | diseases co-occuring with IFNL2 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Association Evidence Scores 2025 | diseases co-occuring with IFNL2 gene in abstracts of biomedical publications from the DISEASES Text-mining Gene-Disease Assocation Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with IFNL2 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| DisGeNET Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with IFNL2 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the DisGeNET Gene-Phenoptype Associations dataset. | |
| ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles | histone modification site profiles with high histone modification abundance at IFNL2 gene from the ENCODE Histone Modification Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles | transcription factor binding site profiles with transcription factor binding evidence at the promoter of IFNL2 gene from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Binding Site Profiles dataset. | |
| ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors binding the promoter of IFNL2 gene in ChIP-seq datasets from the ENCODE Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing IFNL2 from the ESCAPE Omics Signatures of Genes and Proteins for Stem Cells dataset. | |
| GAD Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with IFNL2 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations | diseases associated with IFNL2 gene in GWAS and other genetic association datasets from the GAD High Level Gene-Disease Associations dataset. | |
| GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations | biological terms co-occuring with IFNL2 gene in literature-supported statements describing functions of genes from the GeneRIF Biological Term Annotations dataset. | |
| GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures | PubMedIDs of publications reporting gene signatures containing IFNL2 from the GeneSigDB Published Gene Signatures dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNL2 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations | kinase perturbations changing expression of IFNL2 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Kinase Perturbations dataset. | |
| GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules | small molecule perturbations changing expression of IFNL2 gene from the GEO Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Small Molecules dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 | biological processes involving IFNL2 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 | biological processes involving IFNL2 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations 2023 dataset. | |
| GO Biological Process Annotations 2025 | biological processes involving IFNL2 gene from the curated GO Biological Process Annotations2025 dataset. | |
| GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 | cellular components containing IFNL2 protein from the curated GO Cellular Component Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 | molecular functions performed by IFNL2 gene from the curated GO Molecular Function Annotations 2015 dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of IFNL2 gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 | tissues with high or low expression of IFNL2 gene relative to other tissues from the GTEx Tissue Gene Expression Profiles 2023 dataset. | |
| HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles | tissues with high or low expression of IFNL2 protein relative to other tissues from the HPA Tissue Protein Expression Profiles dataset. | |
| HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations | phenotypes associated with IFNL2 gene by text-mining GWAS publications from the HuGE Navigator Gene-Phenotype Associations dataset. | |
| InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations | protein domains predicted for IFNL2 protein from the InterPro Predicted Protein Domain Annotations dataset. | |
| JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of IFNL2 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the JASPAR Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles | cell lines with high or low copy number of IFNL2 gene relative to other cell lines from the Klijn et al., Nat. Biotechnol., 2015 Cell Line Gene CNV Profiles dataset. | |
| LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations | cellular components predicted to contain IFNL2 protein from the LOCATE Predicted Protein Localization Annotations dataset. | |
| MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets | transcription factors regulating expression of IFNL2 gene predicted using known transcription factor binding site motifs from the MotifMap Predicted Transcription Factor Targets dataset. | |
| Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions | interacting proteins for IFNL2 from the Pathway Commons Protein-Protein Interactions dataset. | |
| PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNL2 gene from the PerturbAtlas Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Gene Perturbations dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 | pathways involving IFNL2 protein from the PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2023 dataset. | |
| PFOCR Pathway Figure Associations 2024 | pathways involving IFNL2 protein from the Wikipathways PFOCR 2024 dataset. | |
| Reactome Pathways 2024 | pathways involving IFNL2 protein from the Reactome Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
| Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles | cell types and tissues with high or low DNA methylation of IFNL2 gene relative to other cell types and tissues from the Roadmap Epigenomics Cell and Tissue DNA Methylation Profiles dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures | drug perturbations changing expression of IFNL2 gene from the RummaGEO Drug Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures | gene perturbations changing expression of IFNL2 gene from the RummaGEO Gene Perturbation Signatures dataset. | |
| TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets | microRNAs regulating expression of IFNL2 gene predicted using nonconserved miRNA seed sequences from the TargetScan Predicted Nonconserved microRNA Targets dataset. | |
| TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors | tissue samples with high or low expression of IFNL2 gene relative to other tissue samples from the TCGA Signatures of Differentially Expressed Genes for Tumors dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues with high expression of IFNL2 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of IFNL2 protein from the TISSUES Curated Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues with high expression of IFNL2 protein in proteomics datasets from the TISSUES Experimental Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores | tissues co-occuring with IFNL2 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores dataset. | |
| TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 | tissues co-occuring with IFNL2 protein in abstracts of biomedical publications from the TISSUES Text-mining Tissue Protein Expression Evidence Scores 2025 dataset. | |
| WikiPathways Pathways 2014 | pathways involving IFNL2 protein from the Wikipathways Pathways 2014 dataset. | |
| WikiPathways Pathways 2024 | pathways involving IFNL2 protein from the WikiPathways Pathways 2024 dataset. | |
