interleukin

plural interleukins

1. biochemistryAny of a group of cytokine proteins important in the regulation of lymphocyte function.

   As another interleukin 12/23 antagonist, briakinumab, was withdrawn from further development in part due to concerns about cardiovascular safety, discussion has also emerged on cardiovascular safety of ustekinumab.

   2015 December 4, “Patient Preferences for Biologicals in Psoriasis: Top Priority of Safety for Cardiovascular Patients”, in PLOS ONE, →DOI

   1 more example

   Indeed, it’s possible to create the full storm of cold symptoms with no cold virus at all, but only a potent cocktail of the so-called inflammatory mediators that the body makes itself[,] among them, cytokines, kinins, prostaglandins and interleukins, powerful little chemical messengers that cause the blood vessels in the nose to dilate and leak, stimulate the secretion of mucus, activate sneeze and cough reflexes and set off pain in our nerve fibers.

   2010 October 4, Jennifer Ackerman, “How Not to Fight Colds”, in The New York Times