title: Interleukin-18: perspectives on the newest interleukin.
abstract: Just over two years ago the newest member of the interleukin family of cytokines, IL-18, was molecularly cloned. IL-18 was originally identified as a result of its ability to induce interferon gamma production, however with the advent of its cloning and the production of recombinant protein a number of other biological actions have since been identified. Recently the receptor for IL-18 was also characterised. Due to the structural and biological properties shared between IL-18 and IL-1 and their respective receptors, questions relating to IL-18 activities are being answered at a rapid pace. This article addresses the biology of IL-18 in both disease and non-disease states.
authors.affiliation: St. Vincent's Institute of Medical Research and The University of Melbourne, Department of Medicine, St. Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Vic, Australia. m.gillespie@medicine.unimelb.edu.au
authors.forename: M T
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Gillespie
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Horwood
mesh_terms: D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D015551:Autoimmunity; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000276:immunology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D053727:Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000276:immunology; D010010:Osteoclasts / Q000166:cytology; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000502:physiology; D053724:Receptors, Interleukin-18; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: C508572:IL18R1 protein, human; D007375:Interleukin-1; D020382:Interleukin-18; D053727:Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D053724:Receptors, Interleukin-18