Insights into IL-37, the role in autoimmune diseases

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by the impaired function and the destruction of tissues that are caused by an immune response in which aberrant antibodies are generated and attack the body's own cells and tissues. Interleukin (IL) -37, a new member of the IL-1 family, broadly reduces innate inflammation as well as acquired immune responses. Recently, studies have shown that expression of IL-37 was abnormal in autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriasis, Graves' disease (GD). In addition, functional analysis indicated that IL-37 is negatively involved in the development and pathogenesis of these autoimmune disorders. The strong association of this cytokine with autoimmune diseases promotes us to systematically review what had been published recently on the crucial nature of IL-37 in relation to autoimmune diseases gaining attention for its regulatory capability in these autoimmune disorders.