The wolf in sheep's clothing: the role of interleukin-6 in immunity, inflammation and cancer

Recent discoveries involving the cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 have originated from diverse disciplines, revealing roles in biological processes that are likewise varied. The most novel findings suggest a connection between inflammation and diseases, such as insulin resistance associated with diabetes...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Trends in molecular medicine 2008-03, Vol.14 (3), p.109-119
Main Authors: Naugler, Willscott E, Karin, Michael
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aging
Animals
Humans
Immunity, Innate
Inflammation - physiopathology
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases - physiopathology
Insulin Resistance
Interleukin-6 - antagonists & inhibitors
Interleukin-6 - immunology
Interleukin-6 - physiology
Mice
Neoplasms - drug therapy
Neoplasms - physiopathology
Obesity - physiopathology
Pathology
Rheumatic Fever - drug therapy
Rheumatic Fever - physiopathology
Signal Transduction
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Summary:Recent discoveries involving the cytokine interleukin (IL)-6 have originated from diverse disciplines, revealing roles in biological processes that are likewise varied. The most novel findings suggest a connection between inflammation and diseases, such as insulin resistance associated with diabetes mellitus and cancer, which had not or only weakly been appreciated previously. The IL-6 pathway is one of the mechanisms linking inflammation to these disease processes. In addition, new evidence points toward IL-6 as one of the mediators coordinating the interface between adaptive and innate immunity. Here, we review the evidence linking IL-6 to inflammatory diseases and cancer.
ISSN:1471-4914
1471-499X
DOI:10.1016/j.molmed.2007.12.007