Blocking interleukin-1 in disease.

Numerous studies implicate a role for cytokines in the pathogenesis of disease. These are primarily derived from experiments in which cytokines are injected into experimental animals and disease activity is monitored. Other studies measure elevated cytokines in either animals or humans during the development of disease. Although cytokines are thought to play a role in the outcome of various diseases, only a few have been directly implicated as mediators of the pathogenic mechanisms of illness and death of the host. Recent studies using specific cytokine antagonism have shed considerable light on which cytokines appear to be playing a critical role.