Interleukin-8 in Tissue Injury and Inflammation

Abstract

Background: Inflammation is a vascular or tissue response that occurs as a result of infection, tissue injury or irritation. The review is aimed at describing the functions of Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and its role in tissue injury and inflammation.

Methods: Articles were searched from the internet using the following search words; Inteluekin-8, IL-8 structure and functions, role of IL-8 in tissue injury, inflammation and inflammatory response, IL-8 in hepatic, nervous, cardiac and kidney injuries.

Results: The result showed that Cytokines are multifunctional proteins that play an important role in cell-to-cell communication, they regulate a number of physiological and pathological processes, such as inflammation, development, differentiation, and cell death. IL-8 is a cytokine that plays an important role in autoimmune disorder and inflammatory diseases, it is regulated by several factors such as steroid hormones, inflammatory signals and environmental stress. IL-8 levels have been reported to significantly increase in serum, plasma, cerebrospinal fluid, gastric juice and urine of patients with brain, cardiac, renal, gastric and hepatic injuries.

Conclusion:IL-8 effect is localized to the damage cells or tissues and are specific to injury type.  Therefore, it is believed to have a role in the pathogenesis of certain type of disease conditions and traumatic injuries.