Интерлейкин 18 (ИЛ-18)

Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β, IL-1B) testing assesses the intensity of the inflammatory response and the state of immune activation. The assay is used with complementary markers to evaluate immune status in severe infectious and inflammatory diseases, including sepsis, and to monitor immunomodulatory therapy by tracking proinflammatory cytokine dynamics. Serial measurement supports assessment of treatment effectiveness and helps anticipate the trajectory of the inflammatory process.

Cytokines are innate defense mediators produced by blood and tissue cells—monocytes, macrophages, granulocytes, and lymphocytes—that coordinate immune reactions to antigens. They act in very low concentrations and signal primarily to nearby cells through surface receptor interactions. Cytokine production and release are typically brief and stimulus‑dependent, occurring in response to antigen exposure. Interleukin‑1 (IL‑1) is among the earliest described cytokines and regulates both inflammation and immunity. It is synthesized by multiple cell types, notably activated macrophages, keratinocytes, stimulated B lymphocytes, and fibroblasts. The IL‑1 family includes three homologous proteins: IL‑1α and IL‑1β, which are proinflammatory, and IL‑1 receptor antagonist (IL‑1RN), which exerts anti‑inflammatory activity. IL‑1β is pivotal in both local and systemic inflammatory responses. Excess local IL‑1β production contributes to bone tissue destruction, as in rheumatoid arthritis, whereas systemic overproduction can precipitate catastrophic hemodynamic instability with a high risk of death. Elevated IL‑1β levels are reported during exacerbations of pancreatitis, peptic ulcer disease, viral hepatitis, Crohn’s disease, pneumoconiosis, and tuberculosis. IL‑1β augments chemotaxis, phagocytosis, hematopoiesis, and vascular permeability; enhances cytotoxic and bactericidal functions; induces fever; initiates downstream inflammatory regulatory cascades; and stimulates collagen synthesis. Increased IL‑1β is detected in synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and in cerebrospinal fluid following neurologic inflammation or stroke. Monitoring IL‑1β in blood provides a noninvasive approach to gauge the severity of the inflammatory process.