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GeneE
27 sources retrieved · Most recent: April 2026 · Index updated 14 days ago
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IL7
interleukin 7
Chromosome 8 · 8q21.13
NCBI Gene: 3574Ensembl: ENSG00000104432.15HGNC: HGNC:6023UniProt: A0A0A0MTG5
309PubMed Papers
21Diseases
0Drugs
3Pathogenic Variants
FUNCTIONAL ROLE
Hub Gene
RESEARCH IMPACT
Trending
CLINICAL
OMIM Disease Gene
DATA QUALITY
✓ Experimental GO Evidence✓ Swiss-Prot Reviewed
cytokine activityprotein bindingpositive regulation of cytokine-mediated signaling pathwaycytokine-mediated signaling pathwayepidermodysplasia verruciformiscombined immunodeficiencycancerbasal cell carcinoma
✦AI Summary

IL7 (interleukin-7) is a hematopoietic cytokine produced by stromal cells in thymus, bone marrow, and lymphoid organs that plays an essential role in lymphocyte development, expansion, and survival 1. IL7 exerts its biological effects through a heterodimeric receptor composed of IL7RA (CD127) and the common gamma chain (γc/CSF2RG) 1, activating JAK1/JAK3 kinases and downstream signaling through STAT5, PI3K/Akt/mTOR, and MEK/ERK pathways 1. IL7 is required for survival of naïve and memory T cells, pro-B cells, and innate lymphocytes, while downregulating its own receptor expression to enable equitable resource sharing among T cells competing for limited cytokine 2. Notably, IL7 enhances protein translation in T cells, improving mRNA-based therapeutic delivery in vivo 3. Deficiencies in the IL7 pathway cause severe combined immunodeficiency with lymphopenia, while excessive signaling drives autoimmunity including multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis 1. IL7 accumulation in aged tissues increases ACE2 expression, contributing to age-related SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility 4. IL7 signaling via CD127+ monocytes restrains inflammatory responses in COVID-19 and rheumatoid arthritis 5. Clinically, IL7 treatment expands lymphocytes in cancer and AIDS patients and accelerates recovery after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation 1, with IL7-expressing CAR-T cells demonstrating enhanced efficacy against solid tumors 6.

Sources cited
1
IL7 production, receptor structure, signal transduction pathways, biological activities, and disease associations including immunodeficiency and autoimmunity
PMID: 36201890
2
IL7 requirement for T cell survival and homeostasis; IL7-mediated downregulation of its own receptor for equitable cytokine sharing
PMID: 31137085
3
IL7 enhances protein translation in T cells and improves targeted lipid nanoparticle-mRNA expression in vivo
PMID: 38513098
4
IL7 accumulation in aged cardiopulmonary tissues induces ACE2 expression via NF-κB signaling, contributing to age-related SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility
PMID: 32913304
5
IL7 signaling via CD127+ monocytes restrains inflammatory gene expression through STAT5-coordinated programs in COVID-19 and rheumatoid arthritis
PMID: 35015026
6
IL7-secreting CAR-T cells demonstrate enhanced expansion, migration, and superior tumor suppression against solid tumors in clinical trials
PMID: 34325726
Disease Associationsⓘ21
epidermodysplasia verruciformisOpen Targets
0.56Moderate
combined immunodeficiencyOpen Targets
0.37Weak
cancerOpen Targets
0.27Weak
basal cell carcinomaOpen Targets
0.24Weak
bone fractureOpen Targets
0.24Weak
HypercholesterolemiaOpen Targets
0.22Weak
alcohol drinkingOpen Targets
0.21Weak
biliary tract diseaseOpen Targets
0.19Weak
Genu varumOpen Targets
0.19Weak
systemic lupus erythematosusOpen Targets
0.19Weak
tricuspid valve diseaseOpen Targets
0.19Weak
immunodeficiency 123 with HPV-related verrucosisOpen Targets
0.18Weak
color vision disorderOpen Targets
0.18Weak
Genu valgumOpen Targets
0.18Weak
cardiomyopathyOpen Targets
0.17Weak
autoimmune disorder of musculoskeletal systemOpen Targets
0.16Weak
jaw diseaseOpen Targets
0.16Weak
knee fractureOpen Targets
0.16Weak
synovium disorderOpen Targets
0.16Weak
neoplasmOpen Targets
0.12Weak
Immunodeficiency 130 with HPV-related verrucosisUniProt
Pathogenic Variants3
NM_000880.4(IL7):c.205A>T (p.Arg69Ter)Pathogenic
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis, susceptibility to, 5
☆☆☆☆2024→ Residue 69
NM_000880.4(IL7):c.284del (p.Asn95fs)Pathogenic
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis, susceptibility to, 5
☆☆☆☆2024→ Residue 95
NM_000880.4(IL7):c.3G>A (p.Met1Ile)Pathogenic
Epidermodysplasia verruciformis, susceptibility to, 5
☆☆☆☆2024→ Residue 1
View on ClinVar ↗
Related Genes
CD8AProtein interaction100%IL15RAProtein interaction100%GHRProtein interaction100%IFNGR1Protein interaction100%IL11RAProtein interaction100%IL20RAProtein interaction100%
Tissue Expression6 tissues
Bone Marrow
100%
Liver
99%
Lung
52%
Ovary
25%
Brain
13%
Heart
10%
Gene Interaction Network
Click a node to explore
IL7CD8AIL15RAGHRIFNGR1IL11RAIL20RA
PROTEIN STRUCTURE
Preparing viewer…
PDB3DI2 · 2.70 Å · X-ray
View on RCSB ↗
Constraintⓘ
LOEUFⓘ
1.52LoF Tolerant
pLIⓘ
0.49Tolerant
Observed/Expected LoF0.00 [0.00–1.52]
RankingsWhere IL7 stands among ~20K protein-coding genes
  • #1,111of 20,598
    Most Researched309 · top 10%
  • #3,912of 5,498
    Most Pathogenic Variants3
  • #15,255of 17,882
    Most Constrained (LOEUF)1.52
Genes detectedIL7
Sources retrieved27 papers
Response time—
📄 Sources
27▼
1
IL-7: Comprehensive review.
PMID: 36201890
Cytokine · 2022
1.00
2
Single-cell transcriptomic atlas of primate cardiopulmonary aging.
PMID: 32913304
Cell Res · 2021
0.90
3
IL-7 and CCL19-secreting CAR-T cell therapy for tumors with positive glypican-3 or mesothelin.
PMID: 34325726
J Hematol Oncol · 2021
0.80
4
CD127 imprints functional heterogeneity to diversify monocyte responses in inflammatory diseases.
PMID: 35015026
J Exp Med · 2022
0.70
5
Human lung carcinoma cells engineered to release IL2, IL7, GM-CSF and TNF alpha.
PMID: 21544424
Int J Oncol · 1996
0.68