IL-18 receptor expression on epithelial cells is upregulated by TNF alpha

• Published in: Inflammation Vol. 29; no. 1; pp. 33 - 37
• Main Authors: Krásná, Eliska, Kolesár, Libor, Slavcev, Antonij, Valhová, Sárka, Kronosová, Bohumíra, Jaresová, Marcela, Stríz, Ilja
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Springer Nature B.V 01.02.2005
• Subjects: Cell Line, Tumor; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Epithelial Cells - drug effects; Flow Cytometry; Humans; Interleukin-18 - genetics; Interleukin-18 - pharmacology; Interleukin-18 Receptor alpha Subunit; Interleukin-8 - secretion; Receptors, Interleukin - metabolism; Receptors, Interleukin-18; Recombinant Proteins - pharmacology; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha - pharmacology; Up-Regulation - drug effects
• ISSN: 0360-3997; 1573-2576
• DOI: 10.1007/s10753-006-8967-1

IL-18 is a multifunctional cytokine that augments both innate and acquired immunity and potentiates Th1 and Th2 reactions. We studied the expression of IL-18 receptor (IL-18R) on renal and respiratory epithelial cell lines. Both cell lines upregulated IL-18R mRNA and IL-18R membrane expression in response to TNF alpha and other proinflammatory cytokines. The function of IL-18R was confirmed by induction of IL-8 release from epithelial cells in response to recombinant IL-18. Epithelial cells may represent an important target for IL-18, mainly under inflammatory conditions associated with TNF alpha release.