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Table 2 Cytokine roles categorized according to their contribution to inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis

From: Cytokines in chronic rheumatic diseases: is everything lack of homeostatic balance?

Proinflammatory

Ambivalent

Anti-inflammatory

TNF

IFNγ

IL-1 receptor antagonist

IL-1

Transforming growth factor beta

IL-4a

IL-12

IL-6b

IL-13

IL-15

 

IL-10c

IL-17A/IL-17F

 

IL-25

IL-18

 

IL-27

CXCL8

 

IL-35

CCL3

  

CCL2

 

7ND

  1. 7ND, N-terminal natural deletion variant of monocytes chemotactic protein-1/CCL2. aIL-4 is anti-inflammatory in the context of rheumatoid arthritis synovial inflammation. By impacting on IgE production, however, IL-4 is a key cytokine in IgE-mediated inflammation. Similar considerations apply to IL-13. bIL-6 may be proinflammatory or anti-inflammatory according to the circumstances. IL-6 blockade has been shown to be clinically useful to control rheumatoid arthritis in randomized trials. cIL-10 is usually anti-inflammatory, but upon priming of monocytes with IFNα it induces proinflammatory responses.