IL1A

Interleukin 1 alpha, or IL-1α, is a gene that encodes a protein which is a member of the interleukin 1 cytokine family.

This protein is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in various immune responses, inflammatory processes, and hematopoiesis. This cytokine is produced by many cell types but is only secreted by monocytes and macrophages. It is produced as a proprotein, which is proteolytically processed by calpain and released in a mechanism that is still not well studied. This gene and eight other interleukin 1 family genes form a cytokine gene cluster on chromosome 2. It has been suggested that the polymorphism of these genes is associated with rheumatoid arthritis and Alzheimer's disease.