Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jan 10, 2026

Visualization of IL-22-expressing Lymphocytes Using Reporter Mice
Published on: January 25, 2017
A Phylogenetic Perspective on the Evolutionary Patterns of the Animal Interleukin-10 Signaling System
Liu Tang1, Zeyu Zhou1,2, Weibin Wang3
1State Key Laboratory for Conservation and Utilization of Bio-Resources in Yunnan, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650201, China.
Abstract:
Background: The interleukin-10 (IL-10) signaling system, comprising ligands (IL-10s) and receptors (IL-10Rs), plays critical roles in immune regulation, inflammation resolution, and disease pathogenesis. "IL-10 signaling system" here refers to the immunomodulatory signaling system composed of ligands (IL-10s) and receptors (IL-10Rs), which belong to different Protein families in evolution, but achieve functional synergy through the conserved JAK-STAT pathway. Understanding their evolutionary and functional dynamics is essential for elucidating immune mechanisms and therapeutic targeting. Methods: Through phylogenetic reconstruction, homology analysis, and sequence alignment across >400 animal species, we traced the evolutionary trajectory and structural-functional diversification of IL-10s and IL-10Rs. Results and Conclusions: IL-10 signaling components emerged in early vertebrates, with IL-10Rs originating in cartilaginous fishes (~450 Mya) and IL-10s diversifying in bony fishes (~400 Mya). Functional divergence yielded immunosuppressive (IL-10), barrier-protective (IL-20 subfamily), and antiviral (type III IFN) subgroups. Structurally, conserved motifs (e.g., IL-10R1 GYXXQ, IL-22 N54-glycosylation) underpin receptor-ligand binding and JAK/STAT signaling. Evolutionarily invariant residues suggest candidate therapeutic epitopes. This study provides an evolutionary framework highlighting functional conservation and species-specific adaptation within IL-10 signaling, with implications for immunotherapy and animal breeding.
Related Concept Videos
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
TGF - β Signaling Pathway
Non-Canonical Wnt Signaling Pathways
Interactions Between Signaling Pathways
Convergence and divergence, and cross-talk between signaling pathways
Two distinct signaling pathways can converge on a single functional unit, which may either be a single protein or a complex of proteins. The response is either functionally distinct or synergistic between the two pathways but different from the response...
Hedgehog Signaling Pathway

