SCIENCE@home

Cytokines and their Role in Health and Disease: A Brief Overview

K. Gulati,S. Guhathakurta,J. Joshi,N. Rai,A. Ray

Published 2016 in MOJ Immunology

ABSTRACT

Cytokines are small, non-structural proteins with low molecular weights which have a complex regulatory influence on inflammation and immunity. It has long been considered that development of immune and inflammatory response involves hematopoietic cells, lymphoid cell, and various pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cells, and cytokines mediate the complex interactions of these cells. Cytokines are the intercellular messengers in the immune system where they integrate function of several cell types in various body compartments into a coherent immune response. They have evolved over the years and now include the interferons, the interleukins, the chemokine family, mesenchymal growth factors, the tumor necrosis factor family and adipokines. Earlier known as `soluble factors`, cytokines are produced by and elicit a response from every cell, with the lone exception of the red blood cell. In response to various stimulus cytokines are secreted from various cells including white blood cells. Pleiotropism is the hallmark of a cytokine and there are failures and successes of cytokines and related agents as therapeutic agents. In the membrane of target cells they have specific receptors for their signal transduction and regulatory functions. Beyond the innate and adaptive immunity, cytokines has a major role in many diverse functions including immune cell differentiation, inflammation, angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, neurobiology, viral pathogenesis etc. In addition to inflammation, immunity and infections, cytokines have now expanded their domain to atherosclerosis and cancer. Thus, cytokines may be useful biomarkers for health and disease and act as diagnostic, prognostic and therapeutic agents. This review will highlight the impact of cytokines in various physiological actions, pathophysiological states, therapeutics and the complex interactions between brain and immune cells.

PUBLICATION RECORD

CITATION MAP

EXTRACTION MAP

CLAIMS

  • No claims are published for this paper.

CONCEPTS

  • No concepts are published for this paper.

REFERENCES

Showing 1-59 of 59 references · Page 1 of 1

CITED BY

Showing 1-100 of 145 citing papers · Page 1 of 2

12
Next