Research Progress of Interleukin-2 Inducible Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors

Interleukin-2 inducible tyrosine kinase (ITK) belongs to the tyrosine kinase family (Tec) expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma and is mainly expressed in T cells. ITK is involved in T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling, functions downstream and controls the expression of proinflammatory cytokines. Studies have shown that ITK is associated with the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Immune inflammation can be suppressed by the use of ITK inhibitors. This paper introduces the structure of ITK, its signaling pathway in T cells and its role in inflammation, and reviews the research progress of ITK inhibitors, aiming to provide reference for the development of ITK inhibitors.