Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026

Single-cell Analysis of Immunophenotype and Cytokine Production in Peripheral Whole Blood via Mass Cytometry
Published on: June 26, 2018
Targeting interleukin-6: all the way to treat autoimmune and inflammatory diseases
Toshio Tanaka1, Tadamitsu Kishimoto
1Department of Clinical Application of Biologics, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan.
Abstract:
Interleukin (IL)-6, a cytokine featuring redundancy and pleiotropic activity, contributes to host defense against acute environmental stress, while dysregulated persistent IL-6 production has been demonstrated to play a pathological role in various autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. Targeting IL-6 is thus a rational approach to the treatment of these diseases. Indeed, clinical trials of tocilizumab, a humanized anti-IL-6 receptor antibody have verified its efficacy and tolerable safety for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, Castleman's disease and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, resulting in approval of this innovative biologic for treatment of these diseases. Moreover, a considerable number of case reports and pilot studies of off-label use of tocilizumab point to the beneficial effects of tocilizumab for a variety of other phenotypically different autoimmune and chronic inflammatory diseases. Elucidation of the source of IL-6 and of mechanisms through which IL-6 production is dysregulated can thus be expected to lead to clarification of the pathogenesis of various diseases.
Related Concept Videos
T Cell Types and Functions
Th1 cells stimulate dendritic cells to express necessary co-stimulatory molecules on their surfaces for...
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Biologic Agents: Anti-TNF
Drugs for Treatment of Crohn's Disease in IBD Using Immunomodulatory Agents
Autoimmune Disorders
Concept and Mechanism of Autoimmune Diseases
The immune system...
Inflammatory Bowel Disease IV: Pharmacological Management
Pharmacologic...
The JAK-STAT Signaling Pathway

