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Interleukins: the body's anti-inflammatory army

Time：

2023-04-25

Interleukin (IL) is a class of protein molecules secreted by immune cells that modulate and regulate the inflammatory response within the immune system. In the early days, interleukins were also called B-cell activating factor and T-interferon, and their naming criteria were not uniform. It was not until the early 1980s that scholars analyzing the molecular structure found that they all have

Interleukin (IL) is a class of protein molecules secreted by immune cells that modulate and regulate the inflammatory response within the immune system. In the early days, interleukins were also called B-cell activating factor and T-interferon, and their naming criteria were not uniform. It was not until the early 1980s when scholars analyzed the molecular structures and found that they all had

　　In the early 1980s, scholars analyzed the molecular structure and found that they all had high molecular weight, so they were merged into a new unified family of proteins named "interleukins".

　　There are many members of the interleukin family, and 23 different types of interleukins have been identified. Among them, IL-10 and TGF-β, which suppress inflammatory responses and maintain immune homeostasis, are called "anti-inflammatory" interleukins, while IL-1, IL-6, IL-12 and IL-18, which promote inflammatory responses and enhance immune activity, are called "inflammatory" interleukins. "interleukins".

　　As regulators within the immune system, interleukins are capable of influencing several physiological and pathological processes. In the immune response to infection and inflammation, interleukins play a role in guiding the inflammatory immune response, working with various cells to interact and regulate each other, thus protecting the body from foreign pathogens. However, if the inflammatory response is overstimulated, leading to

　　destruction of cells and tissues, interleukins can also exacerbate the inflammatory response and even cause immune-mediated diseases. At this point, the development and therapeutic application of interventional drugs for specific interleukin targets has important application prospects.

　　In conclusion, interleukins play a crucial regulatory role in both normal and abnormal metabolic processes of life, therefore, studying the functional mechanisms and protein structures of interleukins is of great significance and value in further understanding the biological basis, finding diagnostic markers of diseases, and developing new interventional therapies.