title: Interleukin-8, a chemotactic and inflammatory cytokine.
abstract: Interleukin-8 (IL-8) belongs to a family of small, structurally related cytokines similar to platelet factor 4. It is produced by phagocytes and mesenchymal cells exposed to inflammatory stimuli (e.g., interleukin-1 or tumor necrosis factor) and activates neutrophils inducing chemotaxis, exocytosis and the respiratory burst. In vivo, IL-8 elicits a massive neutrophil accumulation at the site of injection. Five neutrophil-activating cytokines similar to IL-8 in structure and function have been identified recently. IL-8 and the related cytokines are produced in several tissues upon infection, inflammation, ischemia, trauma etc., and are thought to be the main cause of local neutrophil accumulation.
authors.affiliation: Theodor-Kocher Institute, University of Bern, Switzerland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Baggiolini
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Clark-Lewis
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000502:physiology*; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data
chemical_list: D016209:Interleukin-8