The role of interleukin-18 in renal injury.
Interleukin (IL)-18 is a relatively new pro-inflammatory cytokine, formerly known as interferon-gamma-inducing factor, which induces interferon-gamma production in T cells and natural killer cells. It is synthesized as a biologically inactive precursor, which requires cleavage into an active molecule by an intracellular cysteine protease similar to IL-1beta. This review examines the pro-inflammatory role of IL-18 in various types of renal injury (i.e., endotoxemia, cisplatin toxicity, allograft rejection, and ischemia-reperfusion injury) and explores the integral role of IL-12 in IL-18 function and activity.
Department of Urology, James Whitcomb Riley Hospital for Children, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana 46202, USA.
Jeffrey A
JA
Leslie
Kirstan K
KK
Meldrum
D000818:Animals; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases / Q000502:physiology; D019446:Endotoxemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D006084:Graft Rejection / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000502:physiology; D020382:Interleukin-18 / Q000502:physiology*; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009393:Nephritis / Q000503:physiopathology; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000503:physiopathology
D020382:Interleukin-18; D018664:Interleukin-12; D003546:Cysteine Endopeptidases