Interleukin-13 as an important cytokine: A review on its roles in some human diseases
- Acta Microbiol Immunol Hung. 2015 Dec;62(4):341-78. doi: 10.1556/030.62.2015.4.2.
- 1. Immunology Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
- 2. Immunology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
- 3. Umbilical Cord Stem Cell Research Center, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
- 4. Department of Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratories, Faculty of Medicine, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences , Tabriz , Iran.
Interleukin-13 (IL-13) as a pleiotropic cytokine acts through the IL-13Ra1/IL-4Ra complex to induce activation responses which contribute to the inflammatory diseases. Genetic polymorphisms in IL-13 and its receptor components have been proved to be associated with higher disease prevalence rates. Animal models such as in IL-13 deficient mice and transgenic Animals also have been confirmed the critical role of this cytokine in the immune responses, mostly by IL-13 neutralization and IL-13/IL-4 dual neutralization strategies. This review highlights IL-13 structure as well as its pivotal roles in the normal physiologic and pathologic states. It is followed by a section on the recent findings on IL-13 receptors and signalling mechanisms to briefly summarize its functions in the immune systems. IL-13 roles in the human diseases such as asthma, systematic sclerosis, and some inflammatory diseases are described concisely. Finally some of the ongoing therapeutic applications are presented to comprehensively review IL-13 mediator roles.