Gene of the month: Interleukin 6 (IL-6)

Abstract

The Interleukin 6 (IL-6) gene encodes the classic proinflammatory cytokine IL-6. It is also known as interferon-β2 (IFN-β2), B cell stimulatory factor-2 and hybridoma/plasmacytoma growth factor. IL-6 is a multifunctional cytokine with a central role in many physiological inflammatory and immunological processes. Due to its major role in initiation as well as resolving inflammation, deregulation of IL-6 is a mainstay of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Additionally, IL-6 has been shown to be implicated in pathogenesis of many human malignancies. Thus, a better understanding of IL-6 and its role in various pathological conditions could enable the development of strategies to use it as a therapeutic target. This short review focuses on the structure, regulation and biological activities of IL-6. In addition we discuss the role of IL-6 in diseases with inflammatory background and cancer and also the therapeutic applications of anti-IL-6 agents.

Allograft inflammatory factor-1 in the pathogenesis of bleomycin-induced acute lung injury

“…In the current study, levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased in BALF from mice exposed to bleomycin in comparison to the control group on Day 1. Both IL-6 and TNF-α are known to be crucial pro-inflammatory cytokines that have variable biological effects on inflammation, immune responses, cell differentiation and proliferation, hematopoiesis, and oncogenesis (27)(28)(29). The current study also indicated that recombinant AIF-1 stimulates the production of IL-6 and TNF-α from a macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) and lung fibroblasts in vitro.…”

Polarized Epithelial Cells Secrete Interleukin 6 Apically in the Bovine Endometrium1

“…The CXCL8 protein was the founding member of the superfamily of chemokines, and it provides the chemotactic signal for immigration of neutrophils to sites of infection or tissue damage [20]. IL6 has a wide range of effects on hematopoietic immune cells, initially enhancing the recruitment of neutrophils to sites of infection [21,22]. Later, IL6 acts to reduce the number of neutrophils and switch the pattern of immune cell infiltration toward monocytes [23].…”

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“…Similarly, heat waves lead to inactive lifestyles or physical inactivity, obesity risk factors for NCDs. Importantly, climate change is directly associated with cancer via acute O3 exposure-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, DNA damage, induction of "survival mutations "in the proto-oncogenes (Ras & c-MYC) and tumour suppressor genes (p53 & RB), metabolic reprogramming and induction of the seven cancer hallmarks [25,31,32,33] .…”

“…This leads to a vicious cycle of chronic inflammation, immune activation, oxidative stress, metabolic reprogramming, induction of the seven cancer hall marks, strongly linked with initiation, maintenance and progression of cancer. According to Colottaet al (2009) [31] , Candido&Hagemann (2013) [32] , Ataie-Kachoie et al (2014) [33] , cancer is described as a failed resolution of the inflammatory process or tissue remodeling, which develops in a setting of chronic oxidative stress, inflammation and immune activation. Directly, increased exposure to ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation resulting from depletion of stratospheric O3 has been reported to cause basal and squamous cell skin cancer.…”