Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a member of the CXC chemokine family. This chemokine is one of the major mediators of the inflammatory response. This chemokine is secreted by several cell types. It functions as a chemoattractant, and is also a potent angiogenic factor. IL-8 is believed to play a role in the pathogenesis of bronchiolitis, a common respiratory tract disease caused by viral infection. IL-8 and other ten members of the CXC chemokine gene family form a chemokine gene cluster in a region mapped to chromosome 4q.