Interleukin-33 and its Receptor in Pulmonary Inflammatory Diseases.

Interleukin-33 (IL-33) is a member of the IL-1 cytokine family. It modulates immune responses and biological functions through binding to its membrane receptor, ST2L. ST2L is a member of the Toll-like/IL-1 (TIR)-receptor superfamily, and its isoform, soluble ST2 (sST2), functions as an inhibitor of the IL-33/ST2L pathway. Levels of IL-33 and sST2 in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) are known biomarkers for a variety of disorders such as heart failure, non-small-cell lung cancer, and pulmonary inflammatory diseases. IL-33 also exists in the nuclei, and nuclear IL-33 seems to regulate cytokine gene expression. In this review, we focus on the role of IL-33/ST2 in the pathogenesis of pulmonary inflammatory diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and lung injury.