Cytokines

Cytokine is a substance that is made by cells of the immune system. Some cytokines can boost the immune response and others can suppress it. Cytokines can also be made in the laboratory by recombinant DNA technology and used in the treatment of various diseases, including cancer.

What are Cytokines?

The term "cytokine" is derived from a combination of two Greek words - "cyto" meaning cell and "kinos" meaning movement. Cytokines are cell signalling molecules that aid cell to cell communication in immune responses and stimulate the movement of cells towards sites of inflammation, infection and trauma.

Cytokine Effects

Cytokine Classification

Cytokine Receptors

Inflammatory Cytokines and Depression

Cytokine Nomenclature

Latest Cytokines News and Research

Study uncovers inflammatory pathways that contribute to asthma flare-ups in children

A recent multicenter clinical trial has uncovered inflammatory pathways that contribute to asthma flare-ups in children that occur despite treatment, according to findings published in JAMA Pediatrics.

1 Aug 2025

The vicious circle of aging and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, formerly NAFLD) and aging are locked in a vicious circle: senescence of liver cells accelerates fat accumulation, inflammation and fibrosis, while chronic steatosis in turn hastens hepatic decline.

1 Aug 2025

PD-1 helps guide immune memory cells to the skin early during infection

Weill Cornell Medicine researchers have discovered that PD-1—a molecule best known for putting the brakes on immune cells—also plays a critical role in helping T cells become long-term immune defenders in the skin.

30 Jul 2025

Pyruvate identified as a promising oral treatment for ulcerative colitis

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by intestinal pain, bleeding, and impaired gut barrier function.

29 Jul 2025

How a leaky gut could be putting your heart at risk

Researchers reviewed recent studies showing that gut dysbiosis contributes to heart failure by weakening the gut barrier, enabling harmful metabolites like TMAO to trigger inflammation and cardiac damage. The review highlights a bidirectional “gut-heart axis” and points to new avenues for dietary and microbial therapies.

28 Jul 2025

Understanding immune drift in biologic therapy for inflammatory skin diseases

Immune-inflammatory skin diseases (e.g., psoriasis, atopic dermatitis) involve dysregulation of CD4+ T-cell subsets (Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg) and cytokine networks (IL-17/IL-23/IL-4).

28 Jul 2025

Neutrophils emerge as key players in cancer progression and therapy

Neutrophils are the most abundant type of white blood cells, critical for immune defense and inflammation control.

28 Jul 2025

Creatine may enhance neuroprotection through energy pathways

Creatine supplementation may improve cognitive performance and mood, offering insights into its role in muscle-brain interactions and overall health.

25 Jul 2025

IRF-5 identified as key to preventing immune cell exhaustion

In fighting chronic infections or certain cancers, CD8+ T cells-the immune system's frontline soldiers-eventually become exhausted. They lose effectiveness and respond less efficiently to threats.

24 Jul 2025

Long-term air pollution exposure triggers allergic immune responses in the lungs

Air pollution is a global health concern, with over 90% of the world's population breathing air that exceeds World Health Organization safety standards.

23 Jul 2025

Can probiotics boost athletic performance? Review reveals what works and what still needs proof

A new review in Frontiers in Nutrition synthesizes recent evidence on how probiotic supplementation may impact gut health, immunity, and performance in athletes across various sports.

22 Jul 2025

Overuse injuries spark lasting pain and mood changes through inflammation, rat study finds

Repetitive reaching tasks in mature female rats triggered persistent pain-like and sickness behaviors linked to a surge in IL-6-driven inflammation throughout muscles, blood, and the brain. These findings reveal how overuse injuries provoke both physical and mood-related symptoms through a neuroimmune cascade.

20 Jul 2025

CRISPR-mediated DNA methylation editing regulates inflammation and tumor growth

Genes, fragments of DNA located on our chromosomes, control much of what happens in cells.

17 Jul 2025

Gut-brain axis in eating disorders offers new treatment potential

Understanding the gut-brain axis is key to addressing eating disorders. This study highlights microbiota's influence and emerging therapeutic approaches.

16 Jul 2025

New 3D bio-printed model closely mimics the complexity of natural lung tissue

UBC Okanagan researchers have developed a 3D bio-printed model that closely mimics the complexity of natural lung tissue, an innovation that could transform how scientists study lung disease and develop new treatments.

15 Jul 2025

Nasal antibody spray shields mice from pollen-triggered allergies and asthma

Intranasal delivery of a monoclonal IgG1 antibody targeting mugwort pollen protected mice from allergic rhinitis and asthma symptoms, without lowering systemic IgE levels. This localized, non-invasive approach dampened Th2 inflammation and preserved healthy airway tissue in sensitized mice.

14 Jul 2025

Chlamydia pneumoniae and SARS-CoV-2 infections may play a role in Alzheimer's pathogenesis

A recent review by researchers at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM) shows Chlamydia pneumoniae (Cpn) and SARS-CoV-2 infections may play a role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

13 Jul 2025

Exploring the roles of orphan nuclear receptors in MASLD pathogenesis

Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), affecting approximately 30% of the global population, represents a spectrum of liver disorders ranging from simple steatosis to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), fibrosis, and cirrhosis.

12 Jul 2025

Researchers develop novel engineered extracellular matrix to improve cartilage repair

Recently, a research team from Chongqing Medical University, led by Prof. Wei Huang, Dr. Wei Bao, and Dr. Yiting Lei, has successfully developed a novel engineered extracellular matrix (eECM) to address the challenge of cartilage repair.

11 Jul 2025

Monoclonal antibody delivered through the nose blocks hay fever in mice

Approximately 40% of the European population are allergic to pollen, and their symptoms cause an estimated loss of 100 million school- and workdays every year.

11 Jul 2025