Interleukin-6 in complications of prematurity: from biomarker to targeted therapy

Prematurity is a major cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Inflammatory imbalance is critical in preterm complications, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a pivotal role in this dysregulation. Currently, there is no comprehensive review focusing specifically on IL-6 in the context of neonatal complications of prematurity. Thus, we review the involvement of IL-6 in various prematurity complications, exploring its mechanisms and clinical implications. We also discuss current and emerging therapies targeting IL-6, its receptor, and the trans-signaling pathway, focusing on the potential of these cytokines as therapeutic targets for the development of safe and effective treatments for neonatal complications of prematurity. However, while IL-6 shows consistent value as an early predictive biomarker, its translation into targeted therapy for preterm infants remains preliminary, with substantial gaps in safety and pharmacokinetic data that require further investigation.