Interleukin



Interleukins are a group of cytokines (secreted signaling molecules) that were first seen to be expressed by white blood cells (leukocytes, hence the -leukin) as a means of communication (inter-). The name is something of a relic though (the term was coined by Dr. Paetkau, University of Victoria); it has since been found that interleukins are produced by a wide variety of bodily cells. The function of the immune system depends in a large part on interleukins, and rare deficiencies of a number of them have been described, all featuring autoimmune diseases or immune deficiency.

List

A list of interleukins:

Name Source Function
acute phase reaction, large amounts induce fever.
IL-2 TH1-cells stimulates growth and differentiation of T cell response. Can be used in immunotherapy to treat cancer or suppressed for transplant patients.
IL-3 T cells stimulates bone marrow stem cells
IgE)
IgA production
acute phase reaction
IL-7 stromal cells of the red marrow and thymus involved in B, T, and NK cell survival, development, and homeostasis
chemotaxis
IL-9 T-cells, specifically by CD4+ helper cells stimulates mast cells
IL-10 monocytes, TH2-cells, mast cells inhibits Th1 cytokine production
acute phase protein production
IL-12 macrophages NK cell stimulation, Th1 cells induction. May suppress food allergies
IgE), inhibits TH1-cells and the production of macrophage inflammatory cytokines
IL-14 T cells and certain malignant B cells controls the growth and proliferation of B cells
IL-15 mononuclear phagocytes (and some other cells) following infection by virus(es). Induces production of Natural Killer Cells
CD4
IL-17 - Induces production of inflammatory cytokines
Interferon-gamma (IFNγ)
IL-19 -
IL-20 - regulates proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes
IL-21 -
haptoglobin in hepatoma cell lines
IL-23 - Increases angiogenesis but reduces CD8 T-cell infiltration
IL-24 - Plays important roles in tumor suppression, wound healing and psoriasis by influencing cell survival.
IL-5 and IL-13, which stimulate eosinophil expansion
IL-26 - Enhances secretion of IL-10 and IL-8 and cell surface expression of CD54 on epithelial cells
IL-27 - Regulates the activity of B lymphocyte and T lymphocytes
IL-28 - Plays a role in immune defense against viruses
microbes
IL-27
IL-31 - May play a role in inflammation of the skin
TNF-α, IL-8 and CXCL2
IL-33 - Induces helper T cells to produce type 2 cytokines

Links

  • HGNC Gene Family Nomenclature: Interleukin and Interleukin Receptor Gene Symbols
  • Interleukin Antibody Review


v • d • e
TGF beta - Tumor necrosis factor
v • d • e
Cytokines: interleukins
IL-1 superfamilyIL-32
 
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Interleukin". A list of authors is available in Wikipedia.