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Fu Zhang^1,2, Miao Lin^1,2, Yuancong Jiang³, Fangjian Zhou^1,2,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 1-5, 2025, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2025.0500
Abstract Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a key member of the IL-1 family, plays a significant role in inflammation and cancer. Its classic receptors, ST2 and IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP), are predominantly expressed in immune cells such as T helper 2 (Th2) cells and mast cells. Recent studies have highlighted the involvement of IL-33 in breast cancer, demonstrating its ability to exert dual functional effects by modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses within the tumour microenvironment. However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking IL-33 to breast cancer pathogenesis and its potential as a target for molecularly targeted therapies More >

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Jo Van Damme¹, Stijn Van Damme², Soffe Struyf¹, Ghislain Opdenakker³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 6-14, 2025, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2025.0501
Abstract Since their discovery, chemotactic cytokines or chemokines have been intensively studied for about half a century. Chemokines originate from tissue cells, leukocytes, blood platelets and plasma. Here, we review a number of seminal findings on plasma chemokines within an historical and international context. These aspects include how induction and purification protocols led to the discovery of a new family of mediators, named chemokines, on the basis of protein sequencing; how molecular cloning techniques facilitated discoveries of additional family members on the basis of conserved protein structures; how blood plasma and platelets were used as a More >

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REVIEW

Fu Zhang^1,2, Miao Lin^1,2, Yuancong Jiang³, Fangjian Zhou^1,2,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 1-5, 2025, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2025.0500
Abstract Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a key member of the IL-1 family, plays a significant role in inflammation and cancer. Its classic receptors, ST2 and IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAcP), are predominantly expressed in immune cells such as T helper 2 (Th2) cells and mast cells. Recent studies have highlighted the involvement of IL-33 in breast cancer, demonstrating its ability to exert dual functional effects by modulating both innate and adaptive immune responses within the tumour microenvironment. However, the precise molecular mechanisms linking IL-33 to breast cancer pathogenesis and its potential as a target for molecularly targeted therapies More >

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Jo Van Damme^1,$, Ghislain Opdenakker^2,$, Sam Van Damme³, Soffe Struyf¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.34, No.1, pp. 1-9, 2023, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2023.0484
Abstract Polyclonal antisera from patients have been at the basis of the description of autoimmune diseases and today monoclonal antibodies are widely used in the therapy of cancer and many inflammatory diseases. How antisera and antibodies in combination with traditional in vitro and in vivo biological test systems have been instrumental reagents for the discovery of new cytokines is illustrated here for interleukin-1, -6 and -8. Furthermore, widely used immunological detection/quantification systems, such as ELISAs and multiplex assays, based on the use of either polyclonal or monoclonal antibodies, are often fraught with misinterpretations, because the results are affected More >

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Yan Li^1,2,3,#, Jimin Zhang^1,2,3,#, Xiaoyan Liu⁴, Kumar Ganesan⁵, Guixiu Shi^1,2,3

European Cytokine Network, Vol.35, No.1, pp. 1-12, 2024, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2024.0496
Abstract Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder that affects various systems in the body, resulting in symptoms such as dry eyes and mouth, pain, and fatigue. Inflammation plays a critical role in pSS and its associated complications, with chronic inflammation being a common occurrence in patients with pSS. This review of the literature highlights inflammatory markers that could serve as indicators to predict disease progression in pSS. Results: Laboratory markers are frequently and significantly increased in pSS patients, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, complement proteins, S100 proteins, cytokines (IFNs, CD40 ligand, soluble CD25, More >

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ARTICLE

Zhenlu Li^#, Chao Yue^#, Shengzhong Hou, Xing Huang, Zihe Wang, Weiming Hu, Huimin Lu^*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.35, No.3, pp. 28-37, 2024, DOI:10.1684/ ecn.2024.0495
Abstract Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths, associated with a high risk of metastasis and mortality. The long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) is highly expressed in multiple types of tumour tissues and may be associated with the growth of PC cells. In this study, we aimed to assess the role and possible mechanisms of MALAT1 in PC progression. Methods: Expression of MALAT1 was studied by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) in PC tissues. The dual-luciferase assay was performed to validate binding between MALAT1 and miR-141-5p… More >

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61

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REVIEW

Jo Van Damme¹, Stijn Van Damme², Soffe Struyf¹, Ghislain Opdenakker³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.36, No.1, pp. 6-14, 2025, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2025.0501
Abstract Since their discovery, chemotactic cytokines or chemokines have been intensively studied for about half a century. Chemokines originate from tissue cells, leukocytes, blood platelets and plasma. Here, we review a number of seminal findings on plasma chemokines within an historical and international context. These aspects include how induction and purification protocols led to the discovery of a new family of mediators, named chemokines, on the basis of protein sequencing; how molecular cloning techniques facilitated discoveries of additional family members on the basis of conserved protein structures; how blood plasma and platelets were used as a More >

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87

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98

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Małgorzata Gryka-Marton, Anna Grabowska, Dariusz Szukiewicz

European Cytokine Network, Vol.35, No.3, pp. 38-47, 2024, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2024.0498
Abstract The blood-brain barrier (BBB) consists of a unique system of brain microvascular endothelial cells, capillary basement membranes, and terminal branches (“end-feet”) of astrocytes. The BBB’s primary function is to protect the central nervous system from potentially harmful or toxic substances in the bloodstream by selectively controlling the entry of cells and molecules, including nutrients and immune system components. During neuroinflammation, the BBB loses its integrity, resulting in increased permeability, mostly due to the activity of inflammatory cytokines. However, the pathomechanism of structural and functional changes in the BBB caused by individual cytokines is poorly understood.… More >

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Shira Cohen Rubin^1,*, Nadav Zacks¹, Ori Wand², Ophir Freund³, Evgeni Gershman³, Anna Breslavsky², Rotem Givoli-Vilensky¹, Anat Tzurel Ferber², Natalya Bilenko^1,4, Amir Bar-Shai³

European Cytokine Network, Vol.35, No.1, pp. 13-19, 2024, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2024.0494
Abstract COVID-19 vaccination and acute infection result in cellular and humoral immune responses with various degrees of protection. While most studies have addressed the difference in humoral response between vaccination and acute infection, studies on the cellular response are scarce. We aimed to evaluate differences in immune response among vaccinated patients versus those who had recovered from COVID-19. Materials and Methods: This was a prospective study in a tertiary medical centre. The vaccinated group included health care workers, who had received a second dose of the BNT162b2 vaccine 30 days ago. The recovered group included adults… More >

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Mohammad Reza Haghshenas¹, Zahra Shiravani², Mohammad Samare-Najaf³, Soolmaz Khansalar¹, Seyed Ali Razavinasab⁴, Abbas Ghaderi¹, Navid Jamali⁵

European Cytokine Network, Vol.34, No.4, pp. 63-69, 2023, DOI:10.1684/ ecn.2023.0491
Abstract Background: Endometrial cancer (EC) is recognized as the second most common type of cancer among women. Interleukin-37 (IL-37) is a recently discovered member of the IL-1 cytokine family characterized by its anti-inflammatory properties, which are believed to have both anti-tumour and tumorigenic effects. However, the precise role of IL-37 in the development of EC remains largely unknown. Objective: In the current study, we aimed to explore genotype and allele frequencies of the IL-37 gene (rs4241122) and measure IL-37 protein levels in patients with EC, with a view to determining the clinical significance in these patients. Methods: A… More >

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Chen Liu, Xiaomeng Liu, Hongyuan Zhou, Wei Zhang, Tianqiang Song

European Cytokine Network, Vol.34, No.4, pp. 38-45, 2023, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2023.0483
Abstract The regenerative ability of the liver is essential for maintaining physiological functions and the injury repair process. The biological mechanisms that regulate liver regeneration remain poorly defined. These mechanisms are notable issues in clinical practice that affect the treatment of hepatic loss caused by hepatectomy, hepatic poisoning, or chronic viral infection. Increasing evidence shows that numerous growth factors, cytokines, and metabolic pathways influence the liver regenerative process. Of particular importance are cytokines and growth factors, which affect different stages of liver regeneration. In this review, we summarize the results obtained from studies that focused on More >

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Mohamad Amin Pourhoseingholi^11,, Amirreza Raffei Javazm^1,, Naghmeh Asadimanesh², Fatemeh Shojaeian³, Mehdi Azizmohammad Looha¹, Seyed Amir Ahmad Safavi-Naini¹, Benyamin Mohammadzadeh^1,4, Parnian Jamshidi^1,4, Fatemeh Gholampoor², Omid Yazdani², Nadia Zameni², Zahra Azizan², Amirhossein Sahebkar^5,6

European Cytokine Network, Vol.34, No.2, pp. 10-19, 2023, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2023.0485
Abstract Background: Coronavirus infection can induce the production of inflammatory cytokines leading to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and death. It is well-established that interferons (IFNs) are essential in regulating the immune response, thus their effects of IFNs on COVID-19 patients should be subject to investigation. This study aimed to investigate the effects of IFN-α alone or in combination with remdesivir in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Material and Methods: A multicentre, retrospective study was conducted on COVID-19 patients admitted to three hospitals in Tehran, Iran, from March 20, 2020, to March 18, 2021. The unadjusted and adjusted effects of… More >

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