Received January 10, 2016; Accepted June 02, 2016; Published July 11, 2016
Song Zheng; Wu Wang; Devi Chen; Mao Zhao
Abstract
Cytokines are a group of small proteins that are continuously released by several types of cells. These proteins are essential for communication between cells as they act as messengers. They are produced in response to various conditions, such as tissue damage, infection, or inflammatory stimuli. Cytokines possess various functions, including controlling and regulating fundamental physiological processes, such as inflammation, immunity, and hematopoiesis. Cytokines can be classified as proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory. Proinflammatory cytokines act in response to external agents, such as tissue damage and infection, leading to an increase in inflammation in their target tissues. Some examples of proinflammatory cytokines are Interleukin-1 (IL-1), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-α), and Interferon gamma (IFN-γ). All of these cytokines affect the influx of immune and inflammatory cells in the region of infection or tissue damage. Furthermore, proinflammatory cytokines can promote the secretion of acute-phase proteins by the liver, activation and proliferation of lymphocytes, induction of hematopoiesis, activation of the coagulation cascade, and a variety of other responses that take place during the acute-phase inflammatory response, such as the dramatic elevation of plasma cortisol concentration. Moreover, the continuous or excessive production of proinflammatory cytokines can lead to a variety of diseases, such as autoimmune, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative disorders. On the other hand, anti-inflammatory cytokines down-regulate the expression and production of proinflammatory cytokines in response to the accumulation of proinflammatory cytokines, preventing hyperinflammation. A variety of cytokines possess anti-inflammatory activity, such as Interleukin-10 (IL-10), Transforming Growth Factor beta (TGF-β), and Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). The balance between proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines is fundamental to the control of inflammation-induced immune response.
Key words: Cytokine; Cancer; IL-6; IL-1β; TNF-α
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