The Role of Interleukin-18 in Renal Injury

Interleukin (IL)-18 is a relatively new pro-inflammatory cytokine, formerly known as interferon-γ-inducing factor, which induces interferon-γ production in T cells and natural killer cells. It is synthesized as a biologically inactive precursor, which requires cleavage into an active molecule by an intracellular cysteine protease similar to IL-1β. This review examines the pro-inflammatory role of IL-18 in various types of renal injury (i.e., endotoxemia, cisplatin toxicity, allograft rejection, and ischemia-reperfusion injury) and explores the integral role of IL-12 in IL-18 function and activity.