Interleukin (IL)-33, a member of the IL-1 cytokine super-family, acts as both a traditional cytokine and an intracellular nuclear factor. It is generally released from damaged immune cells and signals through its receptor ST2 in an autocrine and paracrine fashion, plays important roles in type-2 innate immunity, and functions as an "alarmin" or a danger signal for cellular damage or cellular stress. Here, we review recent advances of the role of IL-33 in lung injury and explore its potential significance as an attractive therapeutic target.
Keywords: interleukin-33 (IL-33); lung injury; ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI).