Rat IL-18/IL-1F4 Alexa Fluor® 750-conjugated Antibody

Applications

Please Note: Optimal dilutions should be determined by each laboratory for each application. General Protocols are available in the Technical Information section on our website.

Preparation and Storage

Background: IL-18/IL-1F4

Interleukin-18 (IL-18), also known as IL-1F4 and IFN-gamma inducing factor (IGIF), is a member of the IL-1 family of cytokines and is a key molecule in the innate immune response (1). Rat IL-18 is synthesized as a 24 kDa proprotein that contains a 36 amino acid (aa) propeptide and a 158 aa mature region (2). Under inflammatory conditions, the propeptide is cleaved by Caspase-1 in the cytoplasm to liberate the mature nonglycosylated 18 kDa monomeric IL-18 (3, 4). Mature rat IL-18 shares 91% aa sequence identity with mouse IL-18 and 60-64% aa sequence identity with human, canine, feline, porcine, and rhesus macaque IL-18. IL-18 is secreted by a variety of cell types including macrophages, dendritic cells, and epithelial cells (1, 5). Circulating mature IL-18 is sequestered by soluble IL-18 binding proteins (IL-18 BP) that inhibit IL-18 bioactivity (6). IL-18 interacts with the widely expressed IL-18 R alpha which then recruits the signaling subunit IL-18 R beta (7, 8). The IL-1 family member IL-1F7 also binds to IL-18 R alpha but does not recruit IL-18 R beta or induce signaling (9). IL-1F7 binds IL-18 BP and enhances its neutralizing effect on IL-18 activity (9). IL-18 synergizes with other cytokines to activate NK, Th1, and Th17 cells and to increase the production of IFN-gamma (1, 5, 10-12). IL-18 can also promote Th2 cytokine release which reduces the effectiveness of antiviral responses (13, 14). Increased levels of active IL-18 contribute to the severity of autoimmunity and hypertension, while deficiency of IL-18 results in symptoms of metabolic syndrome (1, 5, 15, 16). In cancer, IL-18 stimulates Th1 and NK cells to target tumor cells, but it can also promote angiogenesis, metastasis, and tumor cell immune evasion (11).

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