IL-36 alpha Background
Human IL-36 alpha, previously called IL-1F6 and FIL1 epsilon (family of IL-1 member epsilon), is a member of the IL-1 family which includes IL-1 beta, IL-1 alpha, IL-1ra, IL-18, and novel family members IL-36 Ra (IL-1F5), IL-36 beta (IL-1F8), IL-36 gamma (IL-1F9), IL-37 (IL-1F7) and IL‑38 (IL‑1F10). IL-36 alpha and other family members are overexpressed in psoriatic skin lesions, and transgenic overexpression of IL‑36 alpha in skin keratinocytes produces epidermal hyperplasia. IL-36 alpha is present in kidney tubule epithelia, and it is highly expressed in intubulointerstitial lesions in mouse models of chronic glomerulonephritis, lupus nephritis and diabetic nephritis.