Therapeutic Opportunities of Interleukin-33 in the Central Nervous System
Yun Sun, Yankai Wen, Luxi Wang, Liang Wen, Wendong You, Shuang Wei, Lin Mao, Hao Wang, Zuobing Chen, Xiaofeng Yang
Abstract
Interleukin-33 (IL-33), a member of the IL-1 cytokine family, is involved in various diseases. IL-33 exerts its effects via its heterodimeric receptor complex, which comprises suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) and the IL-1 receptor accessory protein (IL-1RAP). Increasing evidence has demonstrated that IL-33/ST2 signaling plays diverse but crucial roles in the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS) and the pathogenesis of CNS diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, infection, trauma, and ischemic stroke. In the current review, we focus on the functional roles and cellular signaling mechanisms of IL-33 in the CNS and evaluate the potential for diagnostic and therapeutic applications.