Engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) to which humans are exposed intentionally as nanomedicines or unintentionally as invaders, may elicit unforeseen immune reactions. An uncontrollable ENM-induced immune response poses a potential danger to the human body. During an immunological reaction, interleukin (IL)-1 family cytokines, which play key roles under both physiological and pathological conditions, can be secreted by various types of cells into the surrounding environment to induce a series of defensive reactions. However, the crucial roles played by IL-1 family cytokines in ENM-induced immunological responses have not attracted enough attention from researchers to date. In this review, ENM-mediated inflammatory responses and immunotoxicity are discussed, with the main focus directed to IL-1 family cytokines, including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-1Ra, IL-18, IL-33, IL-36, IL-37, and IL-38. The potential molecular mechanisms of IL-1 family cytokine activity triggered by ENMs, particularly the activation of IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-33, are also reviewed. The understanding of IL-1 family cytokines on nanoimmunosafety provides a fundamental basis for designing safe ENMs that can potentially be used for nanomedicine. This article is categorized under: Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Toxicology of Nanomaterials.
Keywords: immunotoxicity; inflammasome; inflammation; interleukin-1 family; nanosafety.
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