The interleukin-3 receptor ( CD123) is a molecule found on cells which helps transmit the signal of interleukin-3, a soluble

cytokine Cytokines are a broad and loose category of small proteins (~5–25 kDa) important in cell signaling. Cytokines are peptides and cannot cross the lipid bilayer of cells to enter the cytoplasm. Cytokines have been shown to be involved in autocrin ...

important in the

immune system The immune system is a network of biological processes that protects an organism from diseases. It detects and responds to a wide variety of pathogens, from viruses to parasitic worms, as well as cancer cells and objects such as wood splint ...

. The

gene In biology, the word gene (from , ; "... Wilhelm Johannsen coined the word gene to describe the Mendelian units of heredity..." meaning ''generation'' or ''birth'' or ''gender'') can have several different meanings. The Mendelian gene is a b ...

coding for the receptor is located in the

pseudoautosomal region The pseudoautosomal regions, PAR1, PAR2, are homologous sequences of nucleotides on the X and Y chromosomes. The pseudoautosomal regions get their name because any genes within them (so far at least 29 have been found for humans) are inherited ...

of the X and

Y chromosome The Y chromosome is one of two sex chromosomes (allosomes) in therian mammals, including humans, and many other animals. The other is the X chromosome. Y is normally the sex-determining chromosome in many species, since it is the presence or abse ...

s. The receptor belongs to the

type I cytokine receptor Type I cytokine receptors are transmembrane receptors expressed on the surface of cells that recognize and respond to cytokines with four α-helical strands. These receptors are also known under the name ''hemopoietin receptors'', and share a c ...

family and is a heterodimer with a unique alpha chain paired with the common beta (beta c or CD131) subunit. The gene for the alpha subunit is 40

kilobase A base pair (bp) is a fundamental unit of double-stranded nucleic acids consisting of two nucleobases bound to each other by hydrogen bonds. They form the building blocks of the DNA double helix and contribute to the folded structure of both DN ...

s long and has 12 exons.

Cell types and function

The receptor, found on

pluripotent Pluripotency: These are the cells that can generate into any of the three Germ layers which imply Endodermal, Mesodermal, and Ectodermal cells except tissues like the placenta. According to Latin terms, Pluripotentia means the ability for many thin ...

progenitor cells, induces

tyrosine -Tyrosine or tyrosine (symbol Tyr or Y) or 4-hydroxyphenylalanine is one of the 20 standard amino acids that are used by cells to synthesize proteins. It is a non-essential amino acid with a polar side group. The word "tyrosine" is from the G ...

phosphorylation within the cell and promotes proliferation and differentiation within the

hematopoietic cell A blood cell, also called a hematopoietic cell, hemocyte, or hematocyte, is a cell produced through hematopoiesis and found mainly in the blood. Major types of blood cells include red blood cells (erythrocytes), white blood cells (leukocytes), ...

lines. It can be found on

basophil Basophils are a type of white blood cell. Basophils are the least common type of granulocyte, representing about 0.5% to 1% of circulating white blood cells. However, they are the largest type of granulocyte. They are responsible for inflammator ...

s and pDCs as well as some

cDC The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is the national public health agency of the United States. It is a United States federal agency, under the Department of Health and Human Services, and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgi ...

s among peripheral blood mononuclear cells. CD123 is expressed across

acute myeloid leukemia Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a cancer of the myeloid line of blood cells, characterized by the rapid growth of abnormal cells that build up in the bone marrow and blood and interfere with normal blood cell production. Symptoms may inclu ...

(AML) subtypes, including leukemic stem cells. Seattle Genetics Initiates Phase 1 Trial of SGN-CD123A for Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia Sept 2016
/ref>

Possible drug target

Tagraxofusp, human IL-3 fused to diphtheria toxin, is an approved treatment for BPDCN. An experimental

antibody-drug conjugate Antibody-drug conjugates or ADCs are a class of biopharmaceutical drugs designed as a targeted therapy for treating cancer. Unlike chemotherapy, ADCs are intended to target and kill tumor cells while sparing healthy cells. As of 2019, some 56 phar ...

SGN-CD123A targets CD123 as a possible treatment for AML.

References

External links

* {{Interleukin receptor modulators Type I cytokine receptors