ITK (gene)

Tyrosine-protein kinase ITK/TSK also known as interleukin-2-inducible T-cell kinase or simply ITK, is a protein that in humans is encoded by the ITK gene. ITK is a member of the TEC family of kinases and is highly expressed in T cells.

Function

This gene encodes an intracellular tyrosine kinase expressed in T-cells. The protein is thought to play a role in T-cell proliferation and differentiation. ITK is functionally important for the development and effector function of T_h2 and T_h17 cells.

Mice lacking ITK were shown to not be susceptible to asthma.

Structure

This protein contains the following domains, which are often found in intracellular kinases:

• N-terminus – PH (pleckstrin homology domain)
• TH – Tec family homology domain (including Bruton's tyrosine kinase Cys-rich motif and Proline rich region)
• SH3 – (Src homology 3)
• SH2 – (Src homology 2)
• C-terminus – tyrosine kinase, catalytic domain

Interactions

ITK (gene) has been shown to interact with:

• FYN,
• Grb2 and
• KHDRBS1,
• KPNA2,
• LAT,
• LCP2,
• PLCG1,
• PPIA, and
• WAS.

Inhibitors

• Soquelitinib (CPI-818)

References

Further reading