IL-18 stimulates B-type natriuretic peptide synthesis by cardiomyocytes in vitro and its plasma levels correlate with B-type natriuretic peptide in non-overloaded acute heart failure patients
Background: An altered IL-18 pathway in heart failure (HF) has recently been described and this cytokine was shown tobe of clinical and prognostic utility. Cardiomyocytes are a target of this cytokine which exerts inflammatory, hypertrophic,and profibrotic activities. B-type natriuretic peptide is a cardiac hormone produced in response to cardiac filling to regulatecardiovascular homeostasis.