IL-18, human recombinant protein

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Background

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is a proinflammatory cytokine produced by monocyte/macrophages, osteoblasts and keratinocytes, as a proprotein which is proteolytically processed to its active form by caspase-1. Human IL-18 can enhance NK cell activity in PBMC cultures. Also, human IL-18 induces the production of IFN-γ and GM-CSF but inhibits the production of IL-10 by PBMC. IL-18 plays an important role in cell-mediated immune responses.
The human IL-18 cDNA encodes a 193 aa protein with a 36 aa propeptide. Recombinant human IL-18 is an 18 kDa single, non-glycosylated polypeptide chain containing 157 amino acids.