Interleukin-31: a new cytokine involved in inflammation of the skin

Cytokines affect immune functions involved inmotility, chemotaxis, phagocytosis, cytotoxicityand antigen presentation (1). Interleukins (IL) arepleiotropic cytokines with diverse receptorsignaling pathways whose expression is controlledat multiple levels (2). Interleukin receptors (ILR)have intrinsic roles in regulating and amplifyingthe inflammatory response (3-12).Skin is the largest organ of the body with thespecific immune defense and its inflammatoryconditions include atopic dermatitis, allergies,psoriasis etc. (13-19). Infiltrated lymphocytesproliferate in an activated state in the skin lesion inan autocrine and/or paracrine manner and produceTH2-type cytokines that might evoke immunologicabnormalities (20-23)....