ITLN2 (intelectin 2) is a secretory protein with roles in innate immunity and intestinal homeostasis. ITLN2 is selectively expressed by Paneth cells in the small intestine, where it localizes to secretory granules and functions as a multimeric protein 1. The protein contains a fibrinogen-like domain with oligosaccharide-binding capacity, enabling recognition of microbe-specific glycans 2, supporting a role in pathogen defense. ITLN2 expression is dysregulated in inflammatory bowel disease: ileal Crohn's disease (CD) specimens show approximately five-fold reduced ITLN2 mRNA, while metaplastic Paneth cells in both ulcerative colitis and colonic CD express ITLN2 1. During SARS-CoV-2 infection, Paneth cell-specific ITLN2 mRNA levels significantly decrease in both COVID-19 patients and infected mice, suggesting coordinate downregulation of host defense genes during viral infection 3. Beyond intestinal immunity, ITLN2 has been identified as a key differentially expressed gene in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis pathogenesis 4, and a genetic variant (rs1556519) in ITLN2 is associated with lower BMI in psoriatic patients 5. These findings establish ITLN2 as a multifunctional innate immune protein with implications for infectious, inflammatory, and fibrotic diseases.