title: Interleukin-6 autoantibodies: possible biological and clinical significance.
abstract: The pleiotropic cytokines, interleukin (IL)-1 alpha, type I interferons and IL-6 also act on cells involved in antibody production. Somehow the immunologic tolerance to these cytokines is often spontaneously broken--even in healthy individuals. Thus, relatively high concentrations of high affinity IgG antibodies against IL-1 alpha and IL-6 frequently occur in the circulation of healthy adults. The autoantibodies specifically antagonize the respective cytokines in vitro. Thermodynamic estimations strongly suggest that autoimmunity can play a significant role in the regulation of certain cytokines. In the light of IL-6 autoantibodies the possible biological and clinical significance of cytokine autoimmunity is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Immunology, National University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Svenson
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Diamant
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Abell
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bendtzen
mesh_terms: D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D002352:Carrier Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance; D007167:Immunotherapy; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000276:immunology* / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin / Q000378:metabolism; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D015398:Signal Transduction
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies; D002352:Carrier Proteins; D015850:Interleukin-6; D018123:Receptors, Interleukin; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6