Interactions between cytokines and alpha 2-macroglobulin.
Cytokines are often thought of as short range, short half-life molecules. This view may now be challenged by recent findings that indicate that alpha 2-macroglobulin and antibodies to cytokines may alter cytokine kinetics in vivo. alpha 2-Macroglobulin, one of the major proteins in serum, can bind a wide range of physiologically important molecules. As Keith James reviews here, the interaction between alpha 2-macroglobulin and a number of cytokines has recently come under scrutiny, revealing a new and potentially important mechanism for the modulation of cytokine activity, while in the following paper a modulatory role for anti-cytokine antibodies is considered.
James
K
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Department of Surgery, University of Edinburgh, UK.
D000818:Animals; D001685:Biological Factors / Q000097:blood* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D016207:Cytokines; D006801:Humans; D007109:Immunity / Q000502:physiology; D007118:Immunoassay; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000502:physiology; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000502:physiology
D001685:Biological Factors; D016207:Cytokines; D000511:alpha-Macroglobulins