Pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-12 is produced in heterodimer form by B cells and antigen-presenting cells. Binding of IL-12 to IL-12R, which is composed of two different subunits (IL12Rβ1 and IL12Rβ2), leads to the interaction of IL12Rβ1 and IL12Rβ2 with JAK2 and TYK2, which is followed by phosphorylation of STAT4 tyrosine 693. The pathway then induces IFNγ production and Th1 differentiation. STAT4 is critical in promotion of antiviral response of natural killer (NK) cell by targeting of promotor regions of Runx1 and Runx3.