Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Mar 30.
Published in final edited form as: In Vivo. 2013 Nov-Dec;27(6):669–684.

Table I.

Role of major pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in sepsis.

Cytokine Family Cell origin Function Role in sepsis
Pro-inflammatory
    IL-1β IL-1 Macrophages, monocytes Cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis Unknown
    IL-6 IL-6 T-cells, macrophages, endothelial cells Cell growth, differentiation, cytokine production Disease severity, mortality, biomarker
    IL-8 CXC Macrophages, epithelial cells, endothelial cells Chemotaxis, angiogenesis Mortality, biomarker
    IL-12 IL-12 Dendritic cells, macrophages, B-cells IFN-γ production, TNF-α production, Th1 differentiation Unknown
    IL-17 IL-17 Helper T-cells Cytokine/chemokine production, anti-tumor immunity, autoimmunity Controversial
    IL-18 IL-1 Macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells IFN-γ production, anti-microbial immunity Disease severity, biomarker
    IFN-γ IFN T-Cells, NK cells, NKT cells Anti-infection, anti-tumor immunity, autoimmunity Unclear
    GM-CSF IL-4 T-Cells, macrophages, mast cells, endothelial cells, fibroblasts Cell growth, survival, granulocyte development, monocyte development, autoimmunity Unclear
    TNF-α TNF Macrophage, CD4 T-cells, NK cells Cytokine production, cell proliferation, apoptosis, anti-infection, tumor necrosis Disease progress, survival, biomarker
Anti-inflammatory
    IL-1Ra IL-1 Macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells IL-1α inhibitor, IL-1β inhibitor Unknown
    IL-4 IL-4 T-Cells, mast cells, basophils Cell proliferation, Th2 differentiation Unclear
    IL-10 IL-10 Th2 cells, B-cells, monocytes Potent inhibitor of pro-inflammatory cytokine production Disease severity, mortality
    IL-11 IL-6 Fibroblasts, neurons, epithelial cells Induction of Th2 cytokines, inhibition of Th1 cytokine production Unknown
    IL-13 IL-4 Th2 Cells Inhibitor of pro-inflammatory cytokine production Unknown
    TGF-β TGF-β Macrophages, T-cells Proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, migration, inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokine production Unclear

IL: Interleukin; CD: cluster of differentiation; Th: T helper; IFN: interferon; TNF: tumor necrosis factor; TGF: transforming growth factor; GM-CSF: granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor; CXC: cysteine X cysteine.