Recent studies indicate that IL-1␣ functions intracellularly in pathways independent of its cell surface receptors by translocating to the nucleus and regulating transcription. Similarly, the chromatinassociated protein HMGB1 acts as both a nuclear factor and a secreted proinflammatory cytokine. Here, we show that IL-33, an IL-1-like cytokine that signals via the IL-1 receptor-related protein ST2 and induces T helper type 2-associated cytokines, is an endothelium-derived, chromatin-associated nuclear factor with transcriptional repressor properties. We found that IL-33 is identical to NF-HEV, a nuclear factor preferentially expressed in high endothelial venules (HEV), that we previously characterized. Accordingly, in situ hybridization demonstrated that endothelial cells constitute a major source of IL-33 mRNA in chronically inflamed tissues from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Immunostaining with three distinct antisera, directed against the N-terminal part and IL-1-like C-terminal domain, revealed that IL-33 is a heterochromatin-associated nuclear factor in HEV endothelial cells in vivo. Association of IL-33 with heterochromatin was also observed in human and mouse cells under living conditions. In addition, colocalization of IL-33 with mitotic chromatin was noted. Nuclear localization, heterochromatin-association, and targeting to mitotic chromosomes were all found to be mediated by an evolutionarily conserved homeodomain-like helix-turn-helix motif within the IL-33 N-terminal part. Finally, IL-33 was found to possess transcriptional repressor properties, associated with the homeodomain-like helix-turn-helix motif. Together, these data suggest that, similarly to IL1␣ and HMGB1, IL-33 is a dual function protein that may function as both a proinflammatory cytokine and an intracellular nuclear factor with transcriptional regulatory properties.heterochromatin ͉ nucleus ͉ endothelium ͉ HMGB1 C ytokines of the IL-1 family play a major role in a wide range of inflammatory, infectious, and autoimmune diseases (1). The three best known members of this family, IL-1␣, IL-1, and IL-18, are highly inflammatory cytokines, and dysregulation of their production or activity can lead to severe pathological events (1, 2). IL-33 is the most recent addition to the IL-1 family (3). IL-33 has been shown to induce T helper (Th) type 2 responses (3) by signaling through the IL-1 receptor-related protein ST2 (IL-1 R4), an orphan member of the IL-1 receptor family (4, 5). Treatment of mice with recombinant IL-33 resulted in blood eosinophilia, splenomegaly, and increased serum levels of IgE, IgA, IL-5, and IL-13 (3). Exposure to IL-33 also caused severe pathological changes in the lungs and gastrointestinal tract, including eosinophilic and mononuclear infiltrates, increased mucus production, and epithelial cell hyperplasia and hypertrophy (3).IL-33 shares with the other members of the IL-1 family a single structural domain formed from 12  strands, arranged in a so-called IL-1/FGF -trefoil fold (6, 7). Simila...