Interleukin-18 Cytokine in Immunity, Inflammation, and Autoimmunity: Biological Role in Induction, Regulation, and Treatment

Overview

Journal Front Immunol

Specialty Allergy & Immunology

Date 2022 Aug 29

PMID 36032110

Authors

Stella Amarachi Ihim

Sharafudeen Dahiru Abubakar

Zeineb Zian

Takanori Sasaki

Mohammad Saffarioun

Shayan Maleknia

Gholamreza Azizi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in host defense against infections and regulates the innate and acquired immune response. IL-18 is produced by both hematopoietic and non-hematopoietic cells, including monocytes, macrophages, keratinocytes and mesenchymal cell. IL-18 could potentially induce inflammatory and cytotoxic immune cell activities leading to autoimmunity. Its elevated levels have been reported in the blood of patients with some immune-related diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, type I diabetes mellitus, atopic dermatitis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease. In the present review, we aimed to summarize the biological properties of IL-18 and its pathological role in different autoimmune diseases. We also reported some monoclonal antibodies and drugs targeting IL-18. Most of these monoclonal antibodies and drugs have only produced partial effectiveness or complete ineffectiveness , and human studies. The ineffectiveness of these drugs targeting IL-18 may be largely due to the loophole caused by the involvement of other cytokines and proteins in the signaling pathway of many inflammatory diseases besides the involvement of IL-18. Combination drug therapies, that focus on IL-18 inhibition, in addition to other cytokines, are highly recommended to be considered as an important area of research that needs to be explored.

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