Biological activity of human epidermal interleukin-1beta: comparison with recombinant human interleukin-1beta

The multipotent, proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1 (IL-1) occurs in at least two forms, IL-1alpha and IL-1s. Both forms are produced as 31 kD precursors, which are proteolytically processed to 17 kD mature forms. Whereas IL-1alpha is biologically active in the precursor as well as the mature form, only the mature form of IL-1s is active [1, 2]. In IL-1s producing cells, especially cells of the monocyte/macrophage [...]