Contribution of Interleukin‐6/gp130 Signaling in Hepatocytes to the Inflammatory Response in Mice Infected withStreptococcus pyogenes

Sepsis and septic shock caused by gram-positive bacteria have become increasingly frequent clinical problems. These conditions are accompanied by an overwhelming inflammation in which the liver plays a central role as a source and target of inflammatory mediators. Sepsis is still associated with high mortality rates, and new intervention strategies directed at ameliorating the extent of the inflammatory reaction are strongly needed. Here, we investigated whether blockage of the transducer gp130, a receptor involved in the regulation of the inflammatory response, might be useful in the treatment of experimental gram-positive sepsis.