Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta) is considered an important mediator in the pathogenesis of septic shock or bacterial meningitis. Its activity is specifically modulated by IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and IL-1 soluble receptor type II (IL-1sRII). We now describe the time-course of IL-1beta and these modulating agents in 59 patients with acute meningococcal infections, the prototype human disea...

The interleukin-1 (IL-1) receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) is an endogenous antagonist that blocks the effects of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1α and IL-1β by occupying the type I IL-1 receptor. Here we describe transgenic mice with astrocyte-directed overexpression of the human secreted IL-1ra (hsIL-1ra) under the control of the murine glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) promoter. Two GFAP-h...

Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulates interleukin-1 (IL-1) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF alpha) gene expression and synthesis in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). IL-1 can also induce PBMC to synthesize IL-1 and TNF alpha. In the present study, we used IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) to determine the relative contribution of an IL-1-positive feedback loop to the total amou...

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is resistant to interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) in some patients. The mechanism of this resistance is unknown. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is induced by IFN-alpha and is a good indicator of IFN activity. In the current study, we compared IL-1Ra levels in rapid virologic responders and flat responders who showed resistance to IFN. Three groups of pat...

Genetically modified mesenchymal stem cells have been used in attempts to increase the expression of interleukin‑1 receptor antagonist (IL‑1Ra); however, the attempts thus far have been unsuccessful. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the lentivirus transduced IL‑1Ra gene was able to be stably expressed in murine bone marrow‑derived mesenchymal stem cells (mBMSCs) in vitro....

Proinflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-1 and IL-6 exert pleiotropic effects on the neuro-immuno-endocrine system. Previously, we showed that IL-1 receptor antagonist-deficient (IL-1Ra(-/-)) mice show a lean phenotype due to an abnormal lipid metabolism. On the contrary, it was reported that IL-6(-/-) mice exhibit obesity after 6 months of age. This study sought to assess the roles...

Adipose tissue is the source of production and site of action of several pro- and antiinflammatory cytokines. We have recently shown that white adipose tissue (WAT) is a major producer of the antiinflammatory IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra). Because IL-1Ra serum levels are elevated 7-fold in human obesity and an excess of this protein has been implicated in the acquired resistance to leptin a...

Inflammatory cytokines have been linked to atherosclerosis by using cell culture models and acute inflammation in animals. The goal of this study was to examine lipoprotein levels and early atherosclerosis in chronic animal models of altered IL-1 physiology by using mice with deficient or excess IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra). IL-1ra knockout C57BL/6J mice fed a cholesterol/cholate diet for ...

Article history: Received: 20 July 2013 Accepted: 24 Aug 2013 Available online: 15 Oct 2013 ZJRMS 2014; 16(12): 51-54 Background: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with unknown etiology. Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) is naturally occurring cytokine that inhibits interleukin-1 (IL-1) activity by binding to the IL-1 receptors without signal transduction. The...

Routinely used biomarkers of bacterial etiology of infection, such as C-reactive protein and procalcitonin, have limited usefulness for evaluation of infections since their expression is enhanced by a number of different conditions. Therefore, several inflammatory cytokines and chemokines were analyzed with sera from patients hospitalized for moderate bacterial and viral infectious diseases. In...