Inflammatory and Immune Pathways

Inflammatory and immune pathways refer broadly to a network of intracellular and intercellular signaling cascades that coordinate the body’s defense mechanisms in response to harm or infection. These pathways involve numerous classes of molecules including pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1, IL-6, TNF-α), their receptors (e.g., IL-1R, TLRs), intracellular signal transducers (e.g., NF-κB, JAK-STAT), and various cell types such as macrophages, lymphocytes, and endothelial cells[1][2][3][5]. These pathways regulate processes such as leukocyte recruitment, cell proliferation, death, and tissue repair. Dysregulation contributes to diseases including chronic inflammation, autoimmunity, cancer, and infectious disease. Therapeutic interventions usually target specific nodes within these pathways—such as individual cytokines or kinases—rather than the broad pathway grouping itself[1][2][3][5].