Cytokines and their receptors networks: biology and therapeutic possibilities

Cytokinins are biological proteins which permit the transmission of signals from one cell to another. These proteins are secreted by groups of specialized cells and are fixed on specific receptors on the surface of responding cells. However, since receptors may be widely distributed, and since the activation of a cell usually permits the release of other cytokinins and a succession of reactions, cytokinins have pleiotropic effects. Cloning of the genes encoding for these cytokinins and their obtention on a large scale by genetic recombination techniques have allowed a better understanding of their biological characteristics and their use in therapy. This cytokinin network is particularly wide in the hematopoietic and in the immune systems. In the present study, we describe the biological properties of the main interleukins and hematopoietic cell growth factors, together with their therapeutic applications, particularly in hemato-oncology.