Small protein molecules called cytokines play a large role in cellular communication. Cytokines transmit their signals by binding with high affinity to specific cell surface receptors. The cytokine-receptor interactions result in receptor clustering on the cell surface which initiates cell signaling. Using protein crystallography, the lab is defining the molecular details of cytokines and the high affinity cytokine-receptor interactions. Further studies are looking at the intracellular structural changes that occur upon receptor clustering. Systems of study include the interferons (a and g), and interleukin-10. The three-dimensional models obtained from this work will assist in the production of "designer cytokines" with altered activities. These molecules have tremendous potential as new pharmaceuticals for treating several types of cancer, arthritis, and AIDS.
