Description: IL-23 is a heterodimeric cytokine composed of the p40 subunit of IL-12 disulfide-linked with a protein p19. p19, like p35 of IL-12, is biologically inactive by itself. IL-23 interacts with IL-12Rbeta1 and an additional, novel beta2-like receptor subunit with STAT4 binding domain, termed IL-23R. IL-23 is secreted by activated mouse and human dendritic cells. Biological activities of mouse IL-23 are distinct from those of mouse IL-12. Mouse IL-23 was found not to induce significant amounts of IFN-γ. Mouse IL-23 does induce strong proliferation of memory T cells (but not naïve T cells), whereas IL-12 has no effect on memory cells. Additionally, mouse IL-23 (but not IL-12) can activate mouse memory T cells to produce the proinflammatory cytokine IL-17. Human IL-23 has biological properties which are less distinct from human IL-12; human IL-23 induces proliferation of memory T cells and induces moderate levels of IFN-γ production by naïve and memory T cells, as compared to IL-12.