IL-6 as a target in inflammation

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has a unique feature of its own signaling pathway. IL-6 can act on various types of cells because there are abundant amounts of soluble IL-6 receptor in peripheral blood and can mediate signaling into cells. IL-6 participates in a broad spectrum of biological events, such as immune responses, hematopoiesis, and acute-phase reactions. In contrast, overproduction of IL-6 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, including several chronic inflammatory diseases. Future studies to clarify the molecular mechanisms of IL-6 functions as well as studies in which inhibitors of IL-6 signaling are used should provide information critical to a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms of diseases and the development of new therapeutic methods.