Nomenclature for secreted regulatory proteins of the immune system (interleukins): update*

Nomenclature for secreted regulatory proteins of the immune system (interleukins): update* IUIS/WHO Nomenclature Committee1 The officially adopted designations for interleukins now include IL-11, IL-12 and IL- 13, in addition to the previously recommended IL-1 to IL-10, including IL-la and IL- 1/3. The criteria that should be met by a newly described secreted regulatory protein of the immune system in order for it to be granted an interleukin designation were defined by a IUIS/WHO Nomenclature Sub- committee in 1991 (Bulletin of the World Health * A French translation appears on page 812. Requests for reprints should be addressed to the Chairman of the IUIS Nomenclature Committee, Professor Michel D. Kazatchkine, Ser- vice d'Immunologie, H6pital Broussais, 96 rue Didot, 75014 Paris, France. 1 Standing Committee on Interleukin Designation (Chairman: Professor T. Kishimoto, Osaka Medical School, Osaka, Japan. Fax, 81-06-879-3839). Reprint No. 5534 Organization, 1991, 69: 483-484). The officially adopted designations at that time were from interleu- kin-I to interleukin-10, including interleukin-la and interleukin-1 . It is now recommended that the designations IL- 11, IL-12 and IL- 13 be adopted. The molecules have been fully characterized on a molecular level and shown to exhibit distinct regulatory functions in the immune system. Authors describing a new factor who wish to utilize an interleukin designation are urged not to do so unilaterally but to apply to the IUIS/WHO Stand- ing Committee on Interleukin Designation for ap- proval (see footnote 1). Bulletin of the World Health Organization, 1994, 72 (5): 811 811 Nomenclature des proteines regulatrices secretoires du systeme immunitaire (interleukines): mise a jour* Comite de nomenclature de l'UISI/OMS1 Les interleukines dont la designation vient d'6tre officiellement adoptee sont l'IL 11, I'IL12 et l'IL 13, et s'ajoutent aux interleukines 1 a 10 - y compris IL la et IL 1/ - qui ont d6ja recu une designation offi- cielle. Les criteres qui definissent l'attribution du terme d'interleukine 'a une molecule soluble regulatrice du systeme immunitaire nouvellement decrite ont ett definis par un Sous-Comite de nomenclature UISI/OMS en 1991 (Bulletin de l'Organisation mon- diale de la Sante, 1991, 69, 485-486). Les designa- * L'original anglais de I'article figure page 811 de ce mbme Bul- letin. Correspondance: Pr6sident du Comite de nomenclature de l'UISI, Professeur Michel, D. Kazatchkine, Service d'immunolo- gie, H6pital Broussais, 96 rue Didot, 75014 Paris (France). 1 Comite permanent pour la nomenclature des interleukines (Pr6sident Professeur T. Kishimoto, Ecole de M6decine d'Osaka, Osaka, Japon. Telecopie: 81-06-879-3839). tions alors officiellement adoptees concemaient les interleukines 1 'a 10, y compris les interleukines la et 1,B. Les designations ILl1, IL12 et IL13 viennent d'etre adoptees. Les molecules correspondantes ont fait l'objet d'une caracterisation complete au plan moleculaire et ont manifeste des fonctions regula- trices originales dans le systeme immunitaire. Si l'on souhaite donner 'a un facteur nouvelle- ment decrit l'appellation <<interleukine>>, il est forte- ment recommande de ne pas prendre cette decision unilateralement, mais de soumettre cette designation a l'approbation du Comite permanent UISI/OMS pour la nomenclature des interleukines (voir note). 812 Bulletin de l'Organisation mondiale de la Sant6, 1994, 72 (5): 812