Birdshot chorioretinopathy is associated with IL-17, a hallmark cytokine of TH17 cells that play an important role in autoimmunity .
Cytokine release syndrome is a common immediate complication occurring with the use of anti-T cell antibody infusions such as ATG, OKT3 and TGN1412, but also with the CD-20 antibody rituximab.
Some of the many signalling molecules used in these pathways include the cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF).
Interleukin 4, a cytokine that stimulates the proliferation of activated B-cells
IL-1α is a unique member in the cytokine family in the sense that the structure of its initially synthesized precursor does not contain a signal peptide fragment (same is known for IL-1β and IL-18).
It was initially called T cell growth factor, but the name was changed in 1978 to IL-2 (interleukin-2) by the Interlaken cytokine nomenclature committee.
Also, the exact cytokine responsible has yet to be elucidated, with IL-12, IL-18 and IL-13 having been most studied in this regard, yet never conclusively implicated.
The discovery by Kevin J. Tracey that vagus nerve stimulation inhibits inflammation by suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine production has led to significant interest in the potential to use this approach for treating inflammatory diseases ranging from arthritis to colitis, ischemia, myocardial infaction, and congestive heart failure.