A protein complex that is composed of an interleukin-27p28 subunit (product of the IL27 gene) and an EBI3 subunit and is secreted into the extracellular space.
Source:
GOC:add,
PMID:15999093,
PMID:19161428
Comment
Note that this heterodimeric cytokine utilizes the same EBI3 subunit (product of EBI3, Epstein-Barr virus induced gene 3) as its beta chain as IL-35 uses for its beta chain. Also note that the product of the IL27 gene is the alpha subunit of IL-27. The functional IL-27 protein complex requires both subunits.