title: The potential role of IL-37 in atherosclerosis.
abstract: Atherosclerosis is an inflammatory disease characterized by extensive lipid deposition and atherosclerotic plaque formation in the intima. Interleukin (IL)-37 is anti-inflammatory cytokine in the IL-1 ligand family. Given that IL-37 plays an important function in the development and progression of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, it may be associated with the development of atherosclerosis. IL-37, which is normally expressed at low levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), mainly monocytes, and dendritic cells (DC), is rapidly up-regulated in the inflammatory context, and therefore IL-37 conversely inhibits the production of inflammatory cytokines in PBMC and DC. In addition, IL-37 effectively suppresses the activation of macrophage and DC. It is not controversial that the activation of macrophage and DC and the over-expression of inflammatory cytokines are critical component elements in inflammatory process of atherosclerosis. Therefore, IL-37 may play a protective role in atherosclerosis through inhibition of inflammatory cytokines production and suppression of macrophage and DC activation.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Bang-Wei
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Qiu-Tang
authors.initials: QT
authors.lastname: Zeng
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Meng
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, the People's Hospital of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Qing-Wei
authors.initials: QW
authors.lastname: Ji
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: C508587:IL37 protein, human; D007375:Interleukin-1