Interleukin-36 (IL-36) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine which plays an important role in the pathophysiology of several diseases. IL-36α, IL-36β, and IL-36γ (formerly IL-1F6, IL-1F8, and IL-1F9) are IL-1 family members that signal through the IL-1 receptor family members IL-1Rrp2 (IL-1RL2) and IL-1RAcP. IL-36 beta is reported to be expressed at higher levels in psoriatic plaques than in symptomless psoriatic skin or healthy control skin. Furthermore, it can stimulate production of interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in synovial fibroblasts, articular chondrocytes and mature adipocytes. Two alternatively spliced transcript variants encode distinct (164 or 157 residues) protein isoforms that differ in their C-terminal 70 amino acid residues have been reported and IL-36β isoform 2 is synthesized as a 157 a.a. protein. Specifically, human IL-36β shares low sequence identity with IL-1β, IL-36RA, IL-36α and IL-36γ.
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