Targeting Interleukin-6 Signaling in Clinic

  • Immunity. 2019 Apr 16;50(4):1007-1023. doi: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.03.026.
Sujin Kang  1 ,  Toshio Tanaka  2 ,  Masashi Narazaki  3 ,  Tadamitsu Kishimoto  4
Affiliations
  • 1. Department of Immune Regulation, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka, Japan.
  • 2. Medical Affairs Bureau, Osaka Habikino Medical Center, 3-7-1 Habikino, Habikino City, Osaka, Japan.
  • 3. Department of Respiratory Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Graduate School of Medicine, Osaka University, 2-2 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka, Japan; Department of Immunopathology, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka, Japan.
  • 4. Department of Immune Regulation, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita City, Osaka, Japan. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 30995492 DOI: 10.1016/j.immuni.2019.03.026
Abstract

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine with roles in immunity, tissue regeneration, and metabolism. Rapid production of IL-6 contributes to host defense during Infection and tissue injury, but excessive synthesis of IL-6 and dysregulation of IL-6 receptor signaling is involved in disease pathology. Therapeutic agents targeting the IL-6 axis are effective in rheumatoid arthritis, and applications are being extended to Other settings of acute and chronic inflammation. Recent studies reveal that selective blockade of different modes of IL-6 receptor signaling has different outcomes on disease pathology, suggesting novel strategies for therapeutic intervention. However, some inflammatory diseases do not seem to respond to IL-6 blockade. Here, we review the current state of IL-6-targeting approaches in the clinic and discuss how to apply the growing understanding of the immunobiology of IL-6 to clinical decisions.

Keywords
IL-6; IL-6 receptor; acute; cancer; chronic; gp130; inflammation.
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