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Cytokines
What are cytokines?
A collection of polypeptides used for communications
between cells
Play role similar to hormones (messengers of the endocrine
system)
Hormones usually act at a distance
Cytokines act locally
Differ from growth factors that are produced constitutively,
while cytokine production is carefully regulated
Play an important role in both innate and adaptive immunity
Cytokine nomenclature
Interleukins (1-18)
Interferons ()
Interferons
Induced by dsRNA, etc.
Induced by CD40/CD40L pathway
Type 1 Type 2
Cell-mediated Humoral
Immune response T cell response
(intracellular (parasites)
Organisms) IL-2 IL-4
IFN- IL-5
TNF
Down regulators
patient dies)
Cytokine-related diseases
Bacterial septic shock
Blood pressure drops, clots form, hypoglycemia ensues, patient dies
LPS triggers results in TNF release
TNF induces IL-1 which induces IL-6 and IL-8
Bacterial toxic shock and related diseases
Superantigens trigger large numbers of T cells which release massive
amounts of cytokines (Super antigens are bacterial toxins that bridge CD4 T cell
receptors and the MHC class II molecules on APC’s, bypassing the need for antigen)
Lymphoid and myeloid cancers
Some cancer cells secrete cytokines
Chagas’ disease
Trypanosoma cruzi infection results in sever immune suppression
Depression of IL-2 receptor production
Components of the immune
system
Help
B cell
T cell T cell
T cell
CD8 CD4
Inflammatory
Cytotoxic cytokines
? Antibody
T cells