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I N RECENT YEARS there has been an explosion of interest in the group of inflammatory mediators collectively known as cytokines. Research activity in this area is likely to expand at an even greater rate with the reported inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) entry into cells by certain chemotactic cytokines. Even now, hardly a month passes without additions to the interleukin family (presently at number 18 or 19) or the characterisation of another monocyte chemotactic and activating factor (MCAF), monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP), leukaemia inhibitory factor (LIF) or macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF). In addition, there is increasing recognition of the multiple functions of more widely known cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor (Y (TNFa), and their effects on the liver. It would therefore seem timely to review recent data regarding the physiological and pathological role of cytokines in the liver and, even more interestingly, their potential therapeutic applications.
Simpson et al. (Mon,) studied this question.