Interleukin-1 Beta (IL-1β)

Overview:

Interleukin-1 beta is a cytokine, one of the signaling proteins immune cells use to coordinate a response. It is among the main drivers of inflammation, contributing to fever and to the recruitment of other immune cells, and it sits upstream of many of the effects seen in inflammatory conditions. Several modern medications work by blocking it. Measuring it directly is uncommon in routine practice, because levels are low, short-lived and affected by sample handling, and because more stable markers such as CRP usually answer the same question. Its use is mostly in specialist assessment and research.

Categories:

Inflammation

Biomarkers:

1 biomarker