Overview of interleukin-2 receptor and its function

Interleukin-2 (IL-2), a multifunctional cytokine, plays a major role on immune reactions through combining with its receptor on surface of T cells. Interleukin-2 receptor, an important immune signal transmissible molecule, consists of three subunits, such as α, β and γ. The α subunit is a low affinity receptor, the β and γ subunits together form an intermediate affinity receptor, which converts to a high affinity form with the co-expression of the α subunit. All of that can be expressed on surface of T cells. Activation of T cells can be induced by interleukin-2 receptor through signalling pathway of STAT, MAPK, PI3K, and plays key role on antiviral and antibacterial immune reactions.