18 Questions
What is the general property of cytokines in terms of their molecular weight?
Low molecular weight
Which type of cytokines are specifically involved in the migration and activation of cells?
Chemokines
Which cytokines are capable of inducing body cells to resist viral replication?
Interferons
What are cytokines produced by lymphocytes often called?
Lymphokines
What is the primary function of chemokines?
Promoting cell migration and activation
Which type of cytokines serve to mediate innate immunity by being produced mainly by cells of the innate immune system?
Cytokines that Mediate and Regulate Innate Immunity
Which cytokine is produced by both Th1 and Th2 cells and promotes the formation of blood cells?
Interleukin-3 (IL-3)
Which cytokine promotes the development of granulocytes and monocytes?
Granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)
Which cytokine is produced by thymic and bone marrow stromal cells and promotes the production of T and B cells?
Interleukin-7 (IL-7)
Which cytokine has shown success in the treatment of viral hepatitis and is being tested for the treatment of malignancies such as lymphomas and leukemias?
Interferon-alpha (IFN-α)
Which cytokine can be used to treat cases of leucopenia and bone marrow depression?
Granulocyte-monocyte colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF)
Which of the following is NOT a therapeutic use of cytokines?
Induce inflammation
Which of the following cytokines is considered an important mediator in the host inflammatory response in innate immunity?
Interleukin-1 (IL-1)
Which of the following cytokines is chemotactic for neutrophils?
Interleukin-8 (IL-8)
Which of the following cytokines is considered a regulatory cytokine, inhibiting certain cells?
Interleukin-10 (IL-10)
Which of the following cytokines is produced by activated Th1 cells and promotes T cell proliferation, B cell proliferation, and cytokine production by T cells?
Interleukin-2 (IL-2)
Which of the following cytokines is produced mainly by Th1 cells and defines a Th cell as a Th1 cell?
Interferon-γ (IFN-γ)
Which of the following cytokines are known as pro-inflammatory cytokines?
Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-1 (IL-1), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), and the chemokines
Study Notes
Cytokines
- Cytokines are low molecular weight soluble glycoproteins produced in response to microbes.
- They act through cell surface receptors to mediate and regulate the amplitude and duration of the immuno-inflammatory response.
- They activate macrophages and control the growth and differentiation of T and B cells.
- Cytokines are pleiotropic, meaning they act on many cells.
- They have redundant functions, with overlapping spectrum of actions.
- Their action may be additive, synergistic, or antagonistic.
- Cytokines can act on the same cells (autocrine), adjacent cells (paracrine), or distant cells (endocrine).
- Their action is rapid but transient.
Types of Cytokines
- Lymphokines: cytokines produced by lymphocytes.
- Interleukins (IL): cytokines produced by immune cells, often with a number (e.g., IL-2).
- Chemokines: cytokines involved in the migration and activation of cells, especially phagocytic cells.
- Interferons: cytokines that induce body cells to resist viral replication.
Functional Categories of Cytokines
- Cytokines that mediate and regulate innate immunity.
- Cytokines that stimulate hematopoiesis, such as:
- IL-3: promotes formation of blood cells.
- GM-CSF: promotes development of granulocytes and monocytes.
- IL-7: promotes production of T and B cells.
Therapeutic Uses of Cytokines
- Antiviral action.
- Antiproliferative (anti-tumor) action.
- Augmenting an immune response.
- Synthesizing blood cells (hematopoietic action).
- Inhibiting inflammation (using anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-10 and TGF-β).
Examples of Therapeutic Uses
- Interferon-alpha (IFN-α): treatment of viral hepatitis, possible treatment for malignancies.
- IL-2: enhances immune responses, but has severe toxic side effects.
- GM-CSF: treatment of leucopenia and bone marrow depression.
- IL-1: mediator in host inflammatory response, produced by monocytes/macrophages.
- IL-6: pro-inflammatory actions, growth factor for B cells.
- IL-10: regulatory cytokine, inhibiting certain cells.
- Chemokines (e.g., IL-8): chemotactic for neutrophils.
Cytokines that Mediate and Regulate Specific Immunity
- These cytokines are produced mainly by Th cells and mediate their actions.
- Examples include:
- IL-2: promotes proliferation of T cells, B cells, and cytokine production.
- IFN-γ: produced by Th1 cells, activates NK cells and enhances their killing ability.
This quiz covers the general properties of cytokines, low molecular weight soluble glycoproteins produced in response to microbes, their role in activating macrophages, and controlling growth in the immune system. Presented by Dr. Mohamed.M.Amin, Associate Professor of Microbiology and Immunology at Aswan University, Egypt.
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