IL22RA2

Interleukin-22 receptor subunit alpha-2 (IL-22RA2), also known as interleukin-22 binding protein (IL-22BP) is a naturally secreted monomeric protein acting as an interleukin-22 (IL-22) antagonist with inhibitory effects on IL-22 activity in vivo. IL-22BP is in humans encoded by the IL22RA2 gene located on chromosome 6, and in mice is encoded by the il22ra2 gene located on chromosome 10. IL-22BP belongs to the class II cytokine receptor family and it is a soluble receptor homolog of IL-22R (aliases IL-22RA1/IL-22RA/IL-22R1).

The main function of IL-22BP is the regulation of IL-22 biological activity through specific binding which blocks the interaction of IL-22 with its cell surface receptor IL-22R and thus prevents the downstream cellular signalling and response. IL-22 and IL-22BP interactions play an important role in health and disease and are involved in the regulation of steady-state homeostasis, inflammatory responses and cancer.