Open AccessHistorical overview of the interleukin-6 family cytokine
Author(s) -
Sujin Kang,
Masashi Narazaki,
Hozaifa Metwally,
Tadamitsu Kishimoto
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
the journal of experimental medicine/the journal of experimental medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.483
H-Index - 448
eISSN - 1540-9538
pISSN - 0022-1007
DOI - 10.1084/jem.20190347
Subject(s) - glycoprotein 130 , cytokine , receptor , biology , immunology , signal transduction , interleukin , interleukin 20 , microbiology and biotechnology , interleukin 6 , interleukin 5 , genetics
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been identified as a 26-kD secreted protein that stimulates B cells to produce antibodies. Later, IL-6 was revealed to have various functions that overlap with other IL-6 family cytokines and use the common IL-6 signal transducer gp130. IL-6 stimulates cells through multiple pathways, using both membrane and soluble IL-6 receptors. As indicated by the expanding market for IL-6 inhibitors, it has become a primary therapeutic target among IL-6 family cytokines. Here, we revisit the discovery of IL-6; discuss insights regarding the roles of this family of cytokines; and highlight recent advances in our understanding of regulation of IL-6 expression.