IL-32, a novel cytokine with a possible role in disease

• Published in: Annals of the rheumatic diseases Vol. 65; no. suppl 3; pp. iii61 - iii64
• Main Authors: Dinarello, C A, Kim, S-H
• Format: Journal Article Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Published: London BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and European League Against Rheumatism 01.11.2006; BMJ; Elsevier Limited; BMJ Group
• Subjects: Arthritis; Arthritis - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Biopsy; Chemokines; Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma; Crohn Disease - immunology; cytokine; Cytokines; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; fibroblast-like synoviocytes; Fibroblasts; FLS; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Gene expression; Humans; IL-32; Inflammation; Inflammatory joint diseases; interleukin; Interleukins - analysis; Interleukins - immunology; MCP; Medical sciences; monocyte chemoattractant protein; natural killer; NOD; nuclear oligomerisation domain; Other diseases. Semiology; PAR; Peptides; phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride; PMSF; Pneumology; PR3; proteinase 3; proteinase activated receptor; Proteins; Receptors, Interleukin - analysis; rheumatoid arthritis; Rodents; Stomach. Duodenum. Small intestine. Colon. Rectum. Anus; TLR; TNF; toll-like receptor; Tumor necrosis factor-TNF; tumour necrosis factor; Immunopathology; Lung disease; Skin disease; Psoriasis; Respiratory disease; Chronic disease; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Cytokine; Rheumatology; Autoimmune disease; Inflammatory joint disease; Inflammatory disease; Necrosis; Crohn disease; Chronic; Rheumatoid arthritis; Digestive diseases; Bronchus disease; Intestinal disease; Tumor; Obstructive pulmonary disease
• ISSN: 0003-4967; 1468-2060
• DOI: 10.1136/ard.2006.058511

IL-32 is the name given to the NK4 transcript first reported in IL-2 activated T lymphocytes and natural killer cells 13 years ago without known function. The novel cytokine has six isoforms. In an study to isolate a soluble form of the IL-32 receptor from human urine, IL-32α bound proteinase-3 with high affinity and was not affected by enzyme inhibition. IL-32α/IL-32γ were expressed as recombinant molecules. The cytokine exhibits properties characteristic of proinflammatory cytokines and also induces the degradation of inhibitory κB and phosphorylation of mitogen activated protein p38. Monoclonal antibodies to IL-32 identify its presence in a variety of human tissues from diseases states. Epithelial cells from healthy subjects express low levels of the cytokine, but in disease conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Crohn’s disease and psoriasis, the expression increases markedly. IL-32 is a major transcript in gene array studies in epithelial cells stimulated with IFNγ in vitro. In rheumatoid arthritis, synovial tissues reveals increased content of IL-32, which correlates with severity of disease. A highly significant correlation has been observed between the number of synovial and macrophagic cells positive for IL-32 and the level of erythrocytes sedimentation, IL-1β, tumour necrosis factor α, and IL-18. Thus, IL-32 exhibits many properties of proinflammatory cytokines and associations with disease severity.