Interleukin-18 induces production of proinflammatory cytokines in mice: no intermediate role for the cytokines of the tumor necrosis factor family and interleukin-1β

Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is not only a co-stimulus for the induction of interferon-γ but also has direct proinflammatory effects by inducing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-1β, IL-8 and IL-6. However, the cascade of events leading to induction of cytokines by IL-18 is unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether murine IL-18 stimulates production of proinflammatory cytokines, and to assess whether induction of second-wave...