- Interferons (IFN)
- interleukins (IL)
- Colony stimulating factors (CSF)
- Tumour necrosis factors (TNF), see below tumor necrosis factor-α.
Cytokines
ClassificationThis section has been translated automatically.
There are four main groups of cytokines:
General informationThis section has been translated automatically.
Cytokines are small proteins that are often stabilized by glycosylation and intramolecular disulfide bridges. They are formed by different cell types and have autocrine, paracrine or holocrine signalling effects as messengers (transmitters). Cytokines mediate and regulate interactions between different cells, which are predominantly part of the immune system and haematopoiesis. Cytokines act in nano- to picomolar concentrations and, unlike hormones, are not stored in glands as a prefabricated protein, but are quickly re-synthesized and secreted upon stimulation. They are produced by a wide variety of cell types, but especially by lymphocytes, monocytes and macrophages. The effect can be stimulating, inhibiting, synergistic or antagonistic. They only act in certain phases of the cell cycle. Often other cytokines are released by cytokines. By cascading successive cytokine reactions, the effect is enhanced. A prerequisite for the effect of cytokines is their binding to specific receptors on the respective target cell.
TablesThis section has been translated automatically.
Cytokine |
Abbreviation |
Synonyms |
Place of education |
Target cells |
Functions/remarks |
Erythropoietin |
EPO |
|
kidney, liver |
Progenitor cells of erythropoiesis |
Stimulation of erythropoiesis, maturation of megakaryocytes. |
Granulocyte colony stimulating factor |
G-CSF |
|
monocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts |
Progenitor cells of granulopoiesis |
Stimulation of granulopoiesis; acceleration of the cell cycle of stem cells, influence on infection defence and inflammation |
Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor |
GM-CSF |
|
lymphocytes, macrophages, fibroblasts |
Progenitor cells of granulopoiesis, monopoiesis; granulocytes, monocytes, macrophages |
Stimulation of granulo-, mono-, erythro- and thrombopoiesis; mobilisation of stem cells; migration and proliferation of endothelial cells. |
Interferon alpha |
INF-α |
Interferon-alpha; Leukocyte interferon; LeIF |
Leukocytes |
|
Immunomodulation, activation of B, T, NK cells and macrophages, stimulation of HLA class I expression. |
Interferon beta |
INF-β |
interferon-beta; fibroblast interferon; FIF |
Fibroblasts |
|
Immunomodulation, activation of B, T, NK cells and macrophages, stimulation of HLA class I expression. |
Interferon gamma |
INF-γ |
Interferon-gamma; immune interferon |
Lymphocytes (especially NK cells and activated T cells) |
including macrophages, NK cells |
Immunomodulation, activation of B, T, NK cells, macrophages and granulocytes; stimulation of T and B cell differentiation; stimulation of HLA class II expression; induction of immunoglobulin Fc receptors; activation of cytotoxicity against tumor cells and antimicrobial activity of macrophages; induction of monocyte differentiation; inhibition of growth of intracellular protozoa and bacteria; stimulation of IL1 and IL2 synthesis. |
interleukin-1 |
IL-1 |
Lymphocyte activating factor; LAF |
Macrophages, dendritic cells, astrocytes, keratinocytes, vascular endothelial and renal mesangium cells |
Antigen presenting cells, lymphocytes |
Key enzyme in inflammation; activation of antigen-presenting cells, CD4 cells, cytotoxic T lymphocytes, NK cells; important role in the regulation of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, GM-CSF and other cytokines; key enzyme in dermatomyositis and pemphigus vulgaris. |
interleukin-2 |
IL-2 |
lymphocyte mitogenic factor |
activated T-cells |
Macrophages, T, B, NK cells |
One of the most important growth factors for CD4 and CD8 cells as well as for B cells, whose productivity it increases; stimulation of other cytokines; stimulation of the cytotoxicity of activated macrophages |
interleukin-3 |
IL-3 |
multipotential colony stimulating factor; hematopoietic growth factor; mast cell growth factor |
activated T-cells |
Cells of the haematopoietic system |
Growth factor for mast cells, among others. |
interleukin-4 |
IL-4 |
B-cell growth factor; lymphocyte stimulatory factor 1 |
activated T-helper cells |
including B cells, T cells, mast cells |
Autocrine T-cell stimulating factor in the absence of IL-2; stimulation of B-cell proliferation, whereby the production of IgE (high concentration IL-4) and IgG1 (low concentration IL-4) is stimulated (IFN gamma acts antagonistically); inhibition of the formation of IgG2a; increase in the expression of MHC antigens; as a switching factor? involved in the change of Ig heavy chains in antibody production (differentiation factor); inhibition of T cell proliferation; together with IL-3 mast cell proliferation; stimulation of IgE synthesis. |
interleukin-5 |
IL-5 |
T-cell-replacing factor; TRF; B- cell growth factor II; BCGF-II |
activated T-helper cells |
activated B cells, eosinophils |
Increase in antibody production (IgM, IgG, IgA); activation and growth proliferation for eosinophils (e.g. in parasitic diseases). |
interleukin-6 |
IL-6 |
B-cell differentiating factor; B-cell stimulating factor 2; BSF2 |
activated T cells, macrophages, fibroblasts, endothelial cells |
among others leucocytes, B-cell, keratinocytes, hepatocytes |
Stimulation of the development of leukocytes from haematopoietic progenitor cells; stimulation of the differentiation of B cells into antibody-producing plasma cells; growth factor for plasma cells, keratinocytes and mesangium cells; stimulation of hepatocytes for the synthesis of acute phase proteins (CRP, fibrinogen, serum amyloid A, alpha 1 antitrypsin) |
interleukin-7 |
IL-7 |
Lymphopoietin 1; LP-1; pre-B cell factor |
Stroma cells of the bone marrow |
immature and mature B- and T- lymphocytes |
Promotes the growth of lymphoid stem cells as well as pre-B cells, prothymocytes, thymocytes, CD4 and CD8 T cells; co-stimulator for mature B and T cells as well as myelotic cells. |
interleukin-8 |
IL-8 |
Neutrophil activating factor 1, NAP-1 |
activated macrophages, synoviocytes, endothelial cells and fibroblasts |
Granulocytes |
Chemotaxis factor for granulocytes and their activation and migration from the bloodstream into tissue. |
interleukin-9 |
IL-9 |
T-cell/mast cell growth factor P40; P40 cytokines; P40 T-cell and mast cell growth factor; TCGF III; MEA |
among others T-lymphocytes (TH-2 cells), B-lymphocytes, mast cells |
including mast cells, NK cells, T cells |
Stimulation of the maturation of mast cells; enhancement of IgE production; stimulation of the cytotoxicity of T-killer cells and NK-cells as well as the production of IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-11, IFN gamma. |
interleukin-10 |
IL-10 |
Cytokine synthesis inhibitory factor; CSIF |
TH1 and TH2 cells, monocytes, macrophages |
TH1 cells, macrophages |
Potential anti-inflammatory cytokine; inhibition of the formation of interferons, IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha; stimulation of IgE synthesis. |
interleukin-11 |
IL-11 |
|
bone marrow cells, keratinocytes |
among others hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells of megakaryocytes |
Thrombopoietic growth factor with direct stimulation of the proliferation of hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells of megakaryocytes; reduction of mRNA of TNF-alpha and IFN gamma in keratinocytes in psoriatic patients. |
interleukin-12 |
IL-12 |
NK-cell stimulatory factor; NKSF |
B cells and macrophages |
T lymphocytes and NK cells |
NK cell stimulation and activation; induction of the differentiation of naive helper cells into TH1 cells. |
interleukin-13 |
IL-13 |
P600 |
TH2 cells |
monocytes, B-lymphocytes, mast cells, keratinocytes, endothelial cells |
Stimulation of the differentiation of monocytes into dendritic cells; stimulation of IgG, IgM and IgE synthesis; reduction of the production of proinflammatory enzymes in keratinocytes and endothelial cells. |
interleukin-14 |
IL-14 |
High molecular weight B-cell growth factor; HMW-BCGF |
B cells, T cells |
B-cells |
Stimulation of B-cell differentiation; key factor in the development of non-Hodgkin lymphomas of the B-cell type |
interleukin-15 |
IL-15 |
|
fibroblasts, keratinocytes, endothelial cells, macrophages |
T and B lymphocytes, NK cells, monocytes, eosinophils, circulating neutrophils |
Synergistic effect like IL-2 in T-cell activation and proliferation. |
interleukin-16 |
IL-16 |
Lymphocyte chemoattractant factor; LCF |
among others keratinocytes and Langerhans cells |
CD4 cells, monocytes, eosinophils |
Chemotactic effect on CD4 lymphocytes, eosinophils, monocytes, among others; activation of CD4 cells together with IL-1. |
interleukin-17 |
IL-17 |
Neuronal interleukin-17 related factor |
predominantly CD4 cells |
among others cells of the immune system and keratinocytes |
Stimulation of the formation of adhesion molecules in keratinocytes (ICAM1) and IL-1 secretion in dermal endothelial cells; activation of skin fibroblasts. |
interleukin-18 |
IL-18 |
IFN gamma-inducing factor |
among others keratinocytes |
Keratinocytes; Langerhans cells |
Induction of IFN gamma and G-CSF and inhibition of IL-10 in NK cells; migration of Langerhans cells. |
interleukin-19 |
IL-19 |
Melanoma differentiation associated like- protein |
Monocytes |
Macrophages, TH1 and TH2 cells |
Anti-inflammatory cytokine; inhibition of the formation of interferons, IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-alpha as well as antigen presentation in macrophages; inhibition of the activity of TH1 and TH2 cells; stimulation of the synthesis of bcl-2 protein with effect in the apoptosis of tumor cells and cells of the immune system. |
interleukin-20 |
IL-20 |
|
among others keratinocytes |
among others keratinocytes |
Regulation of inflammation of the skin. |
interleukin-22 |
IL-22 |
Interleukin 10 related T-cell derived inducible factor |
activated T cells and mast cells |
|
Regulation of inflammation. |
Interleukin-23 |
IL-23 |
|
Macrophages, dendritic cells |
Memory T-cells |
Key enzyme in autoimmune inflammatory reactions in the CNS. |
interleukin-25 |
IL-25 |
|
activated T-cells |
CD4 cells of the TH2 subtype |
Enhancement of the expression of TH2-cell associated cytokines such as IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13. |
interleukin-27 |
IL-27 |
|
antigen-presenting cells (especially activated monocytes and dendritic cells) |
naive CD4 cells (TH0 subtype) |
Induction of clonal expansion of naive CD4 cells but not of memory cells; synergistic effect with IL-12 on the induction of TH1- or NK-cell-mediated production of interferon gamma. |
Thrombopoietin |
TPO |
|
Liver, kidney, spleen |
|
Stimulation of thrombopoiesis. |