IL-18 is a proinflammatory cytokine that belongs to the IL-1 family of ligands. Macrophages and dendritic cells are the primary sources for active IL-18, but the IL-18 precursor is constitutively expressed in epithelial cells throughout the body. Similar to IL-1beta, IL-18 is synthesized as an inactive precursor requiring processing by caspase-1 into an active cytokine but unlike IL-1beta, the IL-18 precursor is constitutively present in nearly all cells...
+ More
