Interleukin
hideInterleukins are a group of cytokines (secreted proteins/signaling molecules) that were first seen to be expressed by white blood cells (leukocytes), The term interleukine, (inter-) as a means of communication, (-leukin) deriving from the fact that many of these proteins are produced by leukocytes and act on leukocytes. The name is something of a relic though (the term was coined by Dr. Paetkau, University of Victoria); it has since been found that interleukins are produced by a wide variety of body cells. The function of the immune system depends in a large part on interleukins, and rare deficiencies of a number of them have been described, all featuring autoimmune diseases or immune deficiency. The majority of interleukins are synthesized by helper CD4+ T lymphocytes, as well as through monocytes, macrophages, and endothelial cells. They promote the development and differentiation of T, B, and hematopoietic cells.
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News tagged with interleukin
Study shows link between influenza virus and fever
Nov 16, 2009 |
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One feature of the "new influenza" is a sudden rise in temperature. Up to now it was not exactly understood how this reaction occurs. Scientists at the University of Bonn and the Technical University of Munich, Germany, have ...
Thoughtful words help couples stay fighting fit
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Nov 13, 2009 |
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Couples who bring thoughtful words to a fight release lower amounts of stress-related proteins, suggesting that rational communication between partners can ease the impact of marital conflict on the immune system.
Researchers Study Whether Psychosocial Interventions Ease Psoriasis
Nov 11, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has awarded University of Rochester Medical Center researchers $2.5 million to investigate the impact of psychological interventions on attacks ...
Biosensor to help enlist cancer resistance fighters?
Oct 23, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- A powerful new biosensor developed by European researchers will help identify cells in the immune system that actively suppress tumour growth, then put them to use. Enlisting the patient?s ...
Depression predicts increases in inflammatory protein linked to heart disease
Medicine & Health / Psychology & Psychiatry
Oct 05, 2009 |
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(PhysOrg.com) -- Which comes first, depression or inflammation? To help solve this long standing chicken and egg conundrum, researchers led by Jesse Stewart, Ph.D., assistant professor of psychology at Indiana ...
You must remember this: Scientists develop nasal spray that improves memory
Oct 01, 2009 |
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Good news for procrastinating students: a nasal spray developed by a team of German scientists promises to give late night cram sessions a major boost, if a good night's sleep follows. In a research report featured as the ...
Polymorphisms of the interleukin-1 gene complex may influence alcohol dependence
Sep 18, 2009 |
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Cytokines are small proteins secreted by cells that serve as molecular messengers between cells. Pro-inflammatory cytokines - which function in the immune system - may be involved in alcohol dependence (AD). A study of ...
Endothelin-1 inhibitors in chronic pancreatitis
Sep 17, 2009 |
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Fibrosis is a key feature of chronic pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer. The extensive deposition of extracellular matrix proteins fosters the development of an exocrine and endocrine organ insufficiency, and accelerates ...
Blocking protein may prevent blinding disease
Sep 16, 2009 |
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Blocking a protein that battles infection may help thwart a common cause of vision loss in chronic diseases such as diabetes, Medical College of Georgia researchers say.
Study finds molecular link between insulin resistance and inflammation
Aug 26, 2009 |
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An exploration of the molecular links between insulin resistance and inflammation may have revealed a novel target for diabetes treatment, say scientists at the John G. Rangos Sr. Research Center, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh ...
New discovery points the way towards malaria 'vaccine'
Aug 21, 2009 |
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Malaria kills anywhere from one to three million people around the world annually and affects the lives of up to 500 million more. Yet until now, scientists did not fully understand exactly how the process that caused the ...
Infiltrating blood-derived macrophages play a role in recovery from spinal cord injury in mice
Jul 28, 2009 |
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Although macrophages are known as essential players in wound healing, their contribution to recovery from spinal cord injury is a subject of debate.
Scientists discover new genetic immune disorder in children
Jun 04, 2009 |
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Your immune system plays an important function in your health—it protects you against viruses, bacteria, and other toxins that can cause disease. In autoinflammatory diseases, however, the immune system goes awry, causing ...
Immune genes adapt to parasites
May 25, 2009 |
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Thank parasites for making some of our immune proteins into the inflammatory defenders they are today, according to a population genetics study that will appear in the June 8 issue of the Journal of Experimental Medicine (onlin ...
Chronic infection now clearly tied to immune-system protein (w/Video)
May 14, 2009 |
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A new study finds the cross-talk between 'killer T-cells' and 'helper T-cells' can only happen in the presence of interleukin-21, a powerful immune-system protein. UAB researchers say if interleukin-21 is missing, the immune ...
