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 Nomenclature

Cytokine Classification

Cytokine Receptors

Inflammatory Cytokines and Depression

Latest Cytokines News and Research

Complement system appears to be specifically implicated in severe COVID-19

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study showing that activation of the complement system is specifically implicated in the pathogenesis of severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), rather than being a broader indicator of critical illness.

24 Feb 2021

Using machine learning to identify blood biomarkers for early diagnosis of autism

Using machine learning tools to analyze hundreds of proteins, UT Southwestern researchers have identified a group of biomarkers in blood that could lead to an earlier diagnosis of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and, in turn, more effective therapies sooner.

24 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 does not infect the entire body in the same way, finds study

COVID-19, the disease caused by the pandemic coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, is primarily regarded as a respiratory infection. Yet the virus has also become known for affecting other parts of the body in ways not as well understood, sometimes with longer-term consequences, such as heart arrhythmia, fatigue and "brain fog."

24 Feb 2021

Magnesium-based micromotors used to improve rheumatoid arthritis symptoms

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disorder marked by joint pain, swelling and damage. Although medications, such as steroids, anti-inflammatory drugs and immunosuppressants, can help slow joint destruction and relieve pain, they have side effects and aren't completely successful.

24 Feb 2021

In Vivo Probes for Detecting Inflammation Markers in Humans and Animals

News-Medical talks to Parry Hashemi about research on in vivo probes for detecting inflammation markers in humans and animals she will present at Pittcon.

From Pittcon 24 Feb 2021

Study reveals new routes to potential treatments for chronic inflammatory conditions

Inflammatory lung diseases such as asthma, COPD and, most recently, COVID-19, have proven difficult to treat.

23 Feb 2021

Cannabinoid receptor agonist shows potential protective effect on SARS-CoV-2-infected human heart cells

As scientists continue to search for effective antidotes to direct and indirect damage caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a new preprint research paper posted to the bioRxiv* server demonstrates the potential of cannabinoid receptor agonists to alleviate myocardial damage in this condition even in the absence of any inhibitory effect on viral infection as such.

23 Feb 2021

Virus-specific cellular immunity may be essential for long-term protection against SARS-CoV-2

Researchers from China and the US recently synthesized select peptide pools of the structural and functional proteins of SARS-CoV-2, including spike (S), envelope (E), membrane (M), nucleocapsid (N), and protease (P) proteins as target antigens to assess COVID-19-specific immunity.

22 Feb 2021

Failed antiviral response in nasal mucosa may predict severe COVID-19

Researchers in the United States have conducted a study suggesting that the host response to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) within nasal mucosa is a key determinant of clinical trajectory in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

22 Feb 2021

Study profiles the nose to predict immune response during COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2 resides in mucous membranes, making it easy to detect viral load in the nasal cavities. An international group of researchers has characterized the immunological and diagnosis characteristics of patients who may have or are confirmed with SARS-CoV-2 infection. The team found a distinct nasal cytokine profile that could help identify patients at risk for high inflammatory responses to SARS-CoV-2 infection.

22 Feb 2021

Study identifies immune profile of people with severe COVID-19

A team of researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center, USA, investigated how SARS-CoV-2 affects the immune system’s response during and after infection and contributes to the severity of COVID-19.

22 Feb 2021

Polyphenols may provide protective effect against COVID-19 disease

In the study published in the journal Integrative Physiology, the researchers found that a high intake of polyphenols may have a protective effect on patients with COVID-19 and prevent disease progression.

22 Feb 2021

SARS-CoV-2 DNA vaccine tested in animal model

A team of experts has tested the immune responses elicited by mucosal homologous plasmid and a heterologous immunization strategy using a plasmid vaccine and a Modified Vaccinia Ankara (MVA) expressing SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) and nucleocapsid (N) antigens.

21 Feb 2021

COVID-19 and lung cancer have a common pathway, say researchers

A new preprint on the bioRxiv* server describes the common features COVID-19 shares with lung cancer.

19 Feb 2021

Levels of IgG antibodies may influence COVID-19 outcomes

COVID-19, the source of the current pandemic, may be caused by a single virus, but it has a variety of presentations that make treatment difficult. Children, for example, almost exclusively experience mild or asymptomatic COVID-19, while adults can develop severe or even fatal COVID-19.

19 Feb 2021

Early immunosuppressive biomarkers could predict bone regeneration after trauma

An abnormal suppression of the immune system linked to the onset of numerous diseases has been associated with poor functional regeneration of traumatic bone injuries.

18 Feb 2021

Endothelial SARS-CoV-2 infection induces proinflammatory responses without supporting viral amplification, finds study

A team of scientists from Australia and Brazil recently investigated the involvement of endothelial cells in the pathogenesis of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection.

18 Feb 2021

Probiotics may be beneficial in COVID-19 treatment

A new study explores the role of common probiotics in managing the disease, which could prove to be of great value, given the emergence of new variants and the broad spectrum of clinical disease in COVID-19.

17 Feb 2021

Pre-term infants fed with B. Infantis experienced lower level of intestinal inflammation

Researchers publishing in the peer-review journal Frontiers in Pediatrics report that pre-term infants fed Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis (activated B. infantis EVC001) experienced significantly lower level of intestinal inflammation, 62% less diaper rash, and required 62% fewer antibiotics- all of which are critical health indicators in neonatal care.

17 Feb 2021

Simulating an overactive autoimmune response leads to changes in the brain region

Researchers at the University of Tsukuba in Japan show that simulating an overactive autoimmune response in mice leads to changes in the hippocampal region of the brain.

17 Feb 2021