By dr-atef albooq MD

Cytokines are proteins secreted by the cells of innate

and adaptive immunity that mediate many of the functions of these cells. produced in response to microbes and other antigens.

 Cytokines are polypeptides produced in response to

microbes and other antigens that mediate and regulate immune and inflammatory reactions . Cytokine secretion is a brief, self-limited event.

 The actions of cytokines are often pleiotropic and

redundant. Cytokines often influence the synthesis and actions of other cytokines. Cytokine actions may be local and systemic.(auotcrine,paracrine,endocrine). Cytokines initiate their actions by binding to specific membrane receptors on target cells.

 External signals regulate the expression of cytokine

receptors and thus the responsiveness of cells to cytokines. The cellular responses to most cytokines consist of changes in gene expression in target cells, resulting in the expression of new functions and sometimes in the proliferation of the target cells.

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Mediators and regulators of innate immunity 2. Mediators and regulators of adaptive immunity 3. Stimulators of hematopoiesis
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 TNF is the principal mediator of the acute

inflammatory response to gram-negative bacteria and other infectious microbes and is responsible for many of the systemic complications of severe infections.

 The principal function of IL-1, similar to that of TNF, is

as a mediator of the host inflammatory response to infections and other inflammatory stimuli.

 large family of structurally homologous cytokines that

stimulate leukocyte movement and regulate the migration of leukocytes from the blood to tissues. Chemokines recruit the cells of host defense to sites of infection

 Chemokines regulate the traffic of lymphocytes and

other leukocytes through peripheral lymphoid tissues.

 a principal mediator of the early innate immune

response to intracellular microbes and is a key inducer of cell-mediated immunity, the adaptive immune response to these microbes.

 The principal sources of IL-12 are activated mononuclear

phagocytes and dendritic cells.

 2005 Elsevier

 Type I IFNs mediate the early innate immune response

to viral infections.

 2005 Elsevier

 an inhibitor of activated macrophages and dendritic

cells and is thus involved in the control of innate immune reactions and cell-mediated immunity. inhibits the production of IL-12 by activated macrophages and dendritic cells. inhibits the expression of costimulators and class II MHC molecules on macrophages and dendritic cells.

 Cytokines mediate the proliferation and differentiation

of lymphocytes after antigen recognition in the activation phase of adaptive immune responses and mediate the activation of specialized effector cells in the effector phase of adaptive immunity.

 is a growth factor for antigen-stimulated T

lymphocytes and is responsible for T cell clonal expansion after antigen recognition.

 IL-2 serves to terminate immune responses by

stimulating the development and function of regulatory T cells and by potentiating apoptotic death of activated T cells by the Fas pathway .

 The principal cellular sources of IL-4 are CD4+ T

lymphocytes of the TH2 subset as well as activated mast cells and basophils.

 an activator of eosinophils and serves as the link

between T cell activation and eosinophilic inflammation. The major actions of IL-5 are to activate mature eosinophils and stimulate the growth and differentiation of eosinophils.

 IFN- is the principal macrophage-activating cytokine

and serves critical functions in innate immunity and in adaptive cell-mediated immunity.