Cytokines

Cytokine is a substance that is made by cells of the immune system. Some cytokines can boost the immune response and others can suppress it. Cytokines can also be made in the laboratory by recombinant DNA technology and used in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer.

What are Cytokines?

The term "cytokine" is derived from a combination of two Greek words - "cyto" meaning cell and "kinos" meaning movement. Cytokines are cell signalling molecules that aid cell to cell communication in immune responses and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection and trauma.

Cytokine Effects

Cytokine Nomenclature

Cytokine Classification

Cytokine Receptors

Inflammatory Cytokines and Depression

Latest Cytokines News and Research

Material from nasal lavage provides a basis for assessing COPD

Early diagnosis of COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, increases the quality of life of the patient and the efficacy of available treatments.

28 Mar 2025

Gasdermin D found to play a crucial role in heart arrhythmias

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common form of heart arrhythmia, a serious condition in which the heart beats so fast that its upper chambers, the atria, quiver. This irregular heartbeat can increase the risk of severe conditions, including heart failure, dementia and stroke.

27 Mar 2025

Study reveals distinct infection strategies of Zika and dengue viruses

Zika virus and dengue virus are very close relatives. Both are mosquito-borne flaviviruses, and both specialize in infecting a host's dendritic cells.

25 Mar 2025

Understanding the role of iron-dependent ferroptosis in immune suppression

Iron-dependent ferroptosis, a non-apoptotic cell death mechanism, is gaining attention for its role in immune suppression.

24 Mar 2025

How your diet and probiotics can improve vaccine effectiveness

Researchers uncover how probiotics and diet shape the gut microbiome to boost vaccine efficacy, offering new avenues for precision immunization.

23 Mar 2025

Scientists decode differentiation pathways of human blood stem cells

Every second, an adult generates around five million new blood cells to replace aging or dying ones, making the blood system a highly regenerative organ.

21 Mar 2025

Strawberries enhance brain speed and heart health, but cognitive benefits remain unclear

Strawberries may modestly enhance processing speed and lower systolic blood pressure in older adults, but they do not significantly improve overall cognitive function or vascular health.

19 Mar 2025

New discovery unravels mystery behind overactive immune responses

Autoimmune diseases, which are estimated to affect more than 15 million people in the U.S., occur when the body responds to immune-system false alarms, and infection-fighting first responders are sent out to attack threats that aren't there.

18 Mar 2025

Can yogurt and kefir help prevent osteoporosis? Scientists examine the facts

Fermented dairy products and probiotics may support bone health by enhancing calcium absorption, modulating inflammation, and influencing bone remodeling, though human studies show mixed results.

18 Mar 2025

Dry air exposure linked to dehydration and inflammation in human airways

In a recent, cross-institutional study partially funded by the National Institutes of Health, researchers report that healthy human airways are at higher risk for dehydration and inflammation when exposed to dry air, an occurrence expected to increase due to global warming.

17 Mar 2025

How gut health shapes heart disease risk — and what you can do about it

A new review highlights how gut microbiome imbalances contribute to cardiovascular disease by altering short-chain fatty acids, TMAO, and inflammatory pathways. The study emphasizes the potential of prebiotics, probiotics, and dietary changes to restore gut health and reduce heart disease risk.

13 Mar 2025

Impact of excessive alcohol consumption on digestive health

Excessive alcohol consumption is a significant public health concern, responsible for approximately 6% of all deaths and contributing to 5.1% of the global disease burden.

12 Mar 2025

New tissue engineering strategies for spinal cord injury repair

A recent study published in the journal Engineering delves into the application of tissue engineering in spinal cord injury (SCI) repair, presenting a comprehensive review of the latest research and potential treatment strategies.

12 Mar 2025

How eating more calories helps lower asthma risk in children - but only up to a point

Children and adolescents in the U.S. who consume higher amounts of dietary energy have a lower risk of asthma, but this protective effect stops beyond 56.442 kcal per kilogram of body weight per day. The study found an L-shaped relationship, suggesting that insufficient energy intake may heighten asthma risk.

12 Mar 2025

Is fluoride safe for your gut? New study investigates

Systematic review finds that while low-dose fluoride has little effect on gut microbiota, high doses disrupt microbial diversity and balance, especially in animal studies. The effects vary by species, fluoride form, and exposure level, raising concerns about high-dose fluoride impacts on gut health.

11 Mar 2025

Regulating cell acidity could transform autoimmune disease treatments

What if treating autoimmune diseases was as simple as regulating the acidity levels of parts of patients' cells? Genetic screening may have unlocked a path for treating the severe inflammation associated with many immune diseases by regulating one protein's role in helping another protein control cell acidity, according to new research published in Cell by a team from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania.

11 Mar 2025

Study highlights the role of ELF4 as a key transcription factor in development, immunity, and oncology

ELF4, a transcription factor belonging to the ETS family, has emerged as a pivotal regulator in cell differentiation, immune system function, and cancer progression. This newly published review underscores its molecular complexity and clinical significance, shedding light on its dual role in tumor suppression and oncogenesis.

11 Mar 2025

Deciphering the tumor-immune interplay in endometrial carcinoma

A new review article published in Genes & Diseases sheds light on the complex molecular mechanisms through which tumor-infiltrating immune cells regulate endometrial carcinoma (EC). As one of the most prevalent gynecological cancers, EC continues to challenge researchers and clinicians due to its dynamic interaction with the immune microenvironment.

11 Mar 2025

GLP-1 drugs may cut risk of leukemia and lymphoma in type 2 diabetes patients

Researchers found that GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) significantly reduce the risk of several blood cancers in type 2 diabetes patients, especially compared to insulin. The study also highlights GLP-1RAs’ potential as a cancer-protective treatment, independent of glucose control.

9 Mar 2025

High-fat diet could cause memory problems in older adults after just a few days

Just a few days of eating a diet high in saturated fat could be enough to cause memory problems and related brain inflammation in older adults, a new study in rats suggests.

6 Mar 2025