Cytokines and Genetics

Abstract

Cytokines are called by different names, and can be indicated as interleukin, lymphokine, chemokine, interferon, and colony-stimulating factor. With a diverse array of functions, cytokines can act as either proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory elements, as well as function as growth factors and transcription factors on cells and tissues. There is limited knowledge of cytokine to cell interactions, and how cytokine signaling takes part in pathways for transcription and post-transcriptional processing. Molecular events that are next to cytokines may contain information to develop novel approaches to disease treatments. This chapter will review the genetics of noteworthy cytokines with regard to their expression, and regulation in both transcription and post-transcription levels. Also, epigenetics will be emphasized in contexts of chromosome accessing, DNA methylation, and histone acetylation. As the precise knowledge about cytokines increases, further research can be conducted in regard to effectively including such mechanisms in novel treatment approaches.