title: [Basic and clinical aspects of IL-6].
abstract: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine regulating immune response, production of acute phase reactants in hepatocytes, growth of hematopoietic stem cells and other cellular functions in many cell lineages. The increased production of IL-6 is often seen in infections diseases, chronic inflammatory diseases, and certain tumors which accompany polyclonal B cell activation and increased level of CRP. Recent progress in the study of the basic aspects on IL-6 will be discussed, which includes the regulation mechanisms of IL-6 gene, the structure of IL-6 receptor complex (IL-6, 80 KDa IL-6 receptor and signal transducing gp130) and IL-6 signal transduction pathways.
authors.affiliation: Division of Molecular Oncology Biomedical Research Center, Osaka University Medical School.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakajima
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Hirano
mesh_terms: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic / Q000235:genetics; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000209:Acute-Phase Proteins; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D016755:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-jun; D011971:Receptors, Immunologic; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6