IL-18 (IL-1F4)

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a proinflammatory cytokine in the IL-1 family that exerts distinct immune effects depending on the local cytokine environment. It is expressed as a 24 kDa precursor by endothelial and epithelial cells, keratinocytes, gamma δT cells, and phagocytes. The precursor is activated intracellularly by Caspase-1 mediated proteolysis to release the 17 kDa mature cytokine. The precursor can also be released by necrotic cells for extracellular cleavage by multiple proteases. IL-18 activation is induced by infection or tissue damage and contributes to disease pathology in chronic inflammation. IL-18 binds to the widely expressed IL-18 R alpha which recruits IL-18 R beta to form the signaling receptor complex. Its bioactivity is negatively regulated by interactions with IL-18 binding proteins and virally encoded IL-18BP homologs.