LEAF™ Purified anti-mouse IL-18BP Antibody, IL-18BP, Poly23A31,BioLegend,538204

As the name suggests, IL-18 binding protein (IL-18BP) is a binding protein that binds withhigh affinity (Kd = 400 pM) to IL-18 in a stoichiometric ratio to neutralize IL-18 activity.  IL-18BP also interacts with IL-37 at concentrations of 50- to 100-fold molar higher than IL-37. In an in-vitro NK-cell line culture, this interaction increases the inhibitory effect of IL-18BP on IL-18-induced IFN-γ. IL-18BP knockout (KO) mice demonstrates reduced abundance of splenic NK cells, increase in immature NK cells, and a decrease in mature NK cells. The changes in NK cells are associated with a decrease in circulating plasma IL-18. IL-18 and IL-18BP are elevated in patients with eczema; also, IL-18 and IL-18BP are high in serum of patients with chronic liver disease. In addition, patients with heart failure have shown increase in IL-18 but decrease in IL-18BP levels. Currently, IL-18BP is in a clinical trial for the treatment of adult-onset Still’s disease, an inflammatory disease, which is characterized by high levels of IL-18 in plasma.