Molecular Diagnostics Services, Inc.
A Contract Research Organization

Cytokines
      Lymphokines = made by lymphocytes
      Monokines = made by monocytes
      Chemokines = with chemotactic activities; attract leukocytes to infection sites
      Interkeukins = made by one leukocyte and acting on other leukocytes

Cytokine actions
      Autocrine = act on cells that secrete them
      Paracrine = act on nearby cells
      Endocrine = act on distant cells

Selected  Immune  Cytokines  and  Their  Activities*

Cytokine

Producing Cell

Target Cell

Function**

GM-CSF

Th cells

progenitor cells

growth and differentiation of monocytes and DC

IL-1α
IL-1β

monocytes
macrophages
B cells
DC

Th cells

co-stimulation

B cells

maturation and proliferation

NK cells

activation

various

inflammation, acute phase response, fever

IL-2

Th1 cells

activated T and B cells, NK cells

growth, proliferation, activation

IL-3

Th cells
NK cells

stem cells

growth and differentiation

mast cells

growth and histamine release

IL-4

Th2 cells

activated B cells

proliferation and differentiation
IgG1 and IgE synthesis

macrophages

MHC Class II

T cells

proliferation

IL-5

Th2 cells

activated B cells

proliferation and differentiation
IgA synthesis

IL-6

monocytes
macrophages
Th2 cells
stromal cells

activated B cells

differentiation into plasma cells

plasma cells

antibody secretion

stem cells

differentiation

various

acute phase response

IL-7

marrow stroma
thymus stroma

stem cells

differentiation into progenitor B and T cells

IL-8

macrophages
endothelial cells

neutrophils

chemotaxis

IL-10

Th2 cells

macrophages

cytokine production

B cells

activation

IL-12

macrophages
B cells

activated Tc cells

differentiation into CTL (with IL-2)

NK cells

activation

IFN-α

leukocytes

various

viral replication
MHC I expression

IFN-β

fibroblasts

various

viral replication
MHC I expression

IFN-γ

Th1 cells,
Tc cells, NK cells

various

Viral replication

macrophages

MHC expression

activated B cells

Ig class switch to IgG2a

Th2 cells

proliferation

macrophages

pathogen elimination

MIP-1α

macrophages

monocytes, T cells

chemotaxis

MIP-1β

lymphocytes

monocytes, T cells

chemotaxis

TGF-β

T cells, monocytes

monocytes, macrophages

chemotaxis

activated macrophages

IL-1 synthesis

activated B cells

IgA synthesis

various

proliferation

TNFα

macrophages, mast cells, NK cells

macrophages

CAM and cytokine expression

tumor cells

cell death

TNF-β

Th1 and Tc cells

phagocytes

phagocytosis, NO production

tumor cells

cell death

* Abbreviations:
CTL: Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes
DC: Dendritic Cells
GM-CSF: Granulocyte-Monocyte Colony Stimulating Factor
IL: Interleukin
IFN: Interferon
TGF: Tumor Growth Factor
TNF: Tumor Necrosis Factor
** Italicized activities are inhibited.

 

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