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Natália Alvarenga Borges¹, Larissa Manhães¹, Ludmilla Dias de Santana e Santana¹, Jessyca Sousa de Brito², Larissa Fonseca³, Ludmila F. M. F. Cardozo⁴, Denise Mafra^2,3,4,*,#,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.37, No.1, pp. 1-11, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ecn.2026.0ECN78096 - 13 April 2026
Abstract The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that exhibits antagonistic pleiotropy, mediating both protective and detrimental cellular effects depending on the ligand and context. AhR can be activated by a variety of endogenous and exogenous stimuli, including environmental pollutants, UVB radiation, heme, arachidonic acid metabolites, gut microbiota–derived compounds, and xenobiotics. Upon activation, AhR translocates to the nucleus, where it dimerizes with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) and binds to xenobiotic response elements, inducing the expression of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, oxidative stress responses, and inflammatory signaling. In addition to… More >

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Kamaljeet¹, Abhishek Vijukumar¹, Hardik Kumar^2,*, Shilpa Debnath², Sourabh Kosey¹

European Cytokine Network, Vol.37, No.1, pp. 13-24, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ecn.2026.078458 - 13 April 2026
Abstract Cytokine storm syndromes have become a much-invoked concept to describe severe immunopathology in infectious, inflammatory, and iatrogenic diseases, but the concept is poorly defined and often mechanistically imprecise. High levels of systemic cytokines have often been viewed as indicators of immune dysfunction, and based on this notion, therapeutic interventions focused on general cytokine inhibition are proposed. Nevertheless, a growing number of clinical and experimental data dispute the notion that hypercytokinemia is necessarily pathological. The present paper reconsiders cytokine storm syndromes in the light of an evolutionary, systems-immunology model, and suggests that most cytokine amplification conditions… More >

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Jiawen Chen^1,#, Zelin Liu^1,#, Keke Huang¹, Jinlan Li¹, Yajie Zhang¹, Dandan Chen¹, Yanjie Ruan², Ying Pan¹, Furun An¹, Yang Wan^1,*, Jiyu Wang^1,3,*, Qianshan Tao^1,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.37, No.1, pp. 25-39, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ecn.2026.077875 - 13 April 2026
Abstract Objectives: B-cell lymphoma exhibits significant clinical heterogeneity, necessitating improved biomarkers for risk stratification. C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) and trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 (H3K9me3) are implicated in cellular senescence and tumor invasion. While the clinical significance of their co-expression in lymphomagenesis remains unclear. This study aims to define the expression profiles of CCR7 and H3K9me3 in B-cell lymphoma, explore their correlation with aggressive clinical indicators, and evaluate their combined prognostic value. Methods: The expression of CCR7 and H3K9me3 in tumor tissues from B-cell lymphoma patients was analyzed by immunohistochemical (IHC) double-staining. The mechanistic… More >

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118

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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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472

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Almagul Kurmanova^1,2, Gulfairuz Urazbayeva³, Laura Kayupova², Damilya Salimbaeva², Nurzhamal Dzhardemalieva⁴

European Cytokine Network, Vol.35, No.2, pp. 21-27, 2024, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2024.0497
Abstract The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic significance of the dynamics of cytokines and growth factors during pregnancy with and without preeclampsia. The study included 168 pregnant women at risk of hypertensive disorders. The levels of biomarkers of all pregnant women were studied at 12-16 weeks, 28-30 weeks and 36-38 weeks. These included cytokines (tumour necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, interleukin-4) and growth factors (placental growth factor, vascular endothelial growth factor). All pregnant women were divided into two groups: 124 patients with preeclampsia and 44 without preeclampsia (control group). In patients with preeclampsia,… More >

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188

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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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608

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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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625

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217

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Natália Alvarenga Borges¹, Larissa Manhães¹, Ludmilla Dias de Santana e Santana¹, Jessyca Sousa de Brito², Larissa Fonseca³, Ludmila F. M. F. Cardozo⁴, Denise Mafra^2,3,4,*,#,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.37, No.1, pp. 1-11, 2026, DOI:10.32604/ecn.2026.0ECN78096
Abstract The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-activated transcription factor that exhibits antagonistic pleiotropy, mediating both protective and detrimental cellular effects depending on the ligand and context. AhR can be activated by a variety of endogenous and exogenous stimuli, including environmental pollutants, UVB radiation, heme, arachidonic acid metabolites, gut microbiota–derived compounds, and xenobiotics. Upon activation, AhR translocates to the nucleus, where it dimerizes with the aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator (ARNT) and binds to xenobiotic response elements, inducing the expression of genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism, oxidative stress responses, and inflammatory signaling. In addition to… More >

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521

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177

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Eva G. Palacios-Serrato¹, Karen Medina-Abreu¹, Gabriela Velasco-Loyden², Norma Angélica Lira-Rodríguez¹, Angeles C. Tecalco-Cruz^1,*

European Cytokine Network, Vol.36, No.4, pp. 64-73, 2025, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2025.0506
Abstract Background: Interferon-stimulated gene 15 (ISG15) is a small ubiquitin-like protein that can be conjugated to its target proteins through an enzymatic cascade known as ISGylation, thereby altering their function. Elevated levels of free ISG15 (non-conjugated) and ISGylation are observed in several cancer types, including medulloblastoma (MB) a malignant pediatric cerebellar tumor categorized into four molecular subgroups: Wingless, Sonic Hedgehog, Subgroup 3 (G3), and Subgroup 4 (G4). However, ISG15 gene expression in MB remains unexplored. In this study, we evaluated the ISG15 protein levels, the expression of the ISG15 and ISGylation system, and interferon gamma signaling… More >

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202

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Karim Dorgham¹, Omaira Da Mata Jardin¹, Clara Mellot^1,2, Suzanne Mouries-Martin^1,2, Maude Calixte^1,2, Ngoc Khanh Nguyen¹, Raphael Lhote², Julien Haroche^1,2, Fleur Cohen-Aubart^1,2, Micheline Pha², Miguel Hié², Matthias Papo², François Chasset^1,2,3, Pascale Ghillani-Dalbin⁴, Hans Yssel¹, Zahir Amoura^1,2, Guy Gorochov^1,4, Alexis Mathian^1,2

European Cytokine Network, Vol.36, No.2, pp. 15-23, 2025, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2025.0502
Abstract Background: Type I interferons, which play an important role in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), are expressed at very low levels under physiological conditions. In this study, we focused on IFN-beta (IFN-β) for its potential use as a biomarker of SLE activity and compared three different technologies for its quantification in the serum of healthy donors and patients with SLE. Methods: A total of 93 serum samples from healthy donors and 463 serum samples from lupus patients were tested using either ELISA, digital ELISA based on Single Molecule Array… More >

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439

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Francisco Javier Alarcón-Aguilar, Israel Domínguez de la Mora, Angeles Fortis-Barrera

European Cytokine Network, Vol.35, No.4, pp. 48-55, 2024, DOI:10.1684/ecn.2024.0499
Abstract Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a cytokine with pleiotropic effects that plays a significant role in the transition from the innate immune response to adaptive response. IL-6 is of interest due to its proinflammatory action, however, it also exhibits anti-inflammatory effects, supporting metabolism and suppressing associated diseases, such as obesity, diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome. The IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) is a type I transmembrane glycoprotein in the plasma membrane of only some cell types, such as macrophages, neutrophils, hepatocytes, and T cells. The function of IL-6R requires another transmembrane glycoprotein of 130 kDa (gp130) which, in contrast… More >

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204

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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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395

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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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