Interleukin-36 subfamily cytokines in liver diseases

In this letter, we discuss the recently published study by Pan <i>et al</i>, which investigated the relationships between interleukin-36 (IL-36) subfamily cytokines and the gut microbiota in patients diagnosed with liver cirrhosis. This observational study revealed that the serum levels of IL-36α, IL-36γ, and IL-38 were significantly elevated in liver cirrhosis patients, accompanied by a distinct gut microbiota profile. These findings provide novel insights into the role of inflammatory cytokines in the imbalance of the gut-liver axis. Meanwhile, in our studies, it was found that IL-36γ is considerably increased in a mouse model of metabolic dysfunction-associated liver disease, which may be linked to the activation of T helper type 17 cells and macrophages. Thus, this letter provides a brief introduction to the role of IL-36 in liver diseases and anticipates further studies aimed at elucidating the full potential of IL-36 in the development of liver diseases.