title: The soluble interleukin 6 receptor: mechanisms of production and implications in disease.
abstract: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) performs a prominent role during disease and has been described as both a pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine. A key feature in the regulation of IL-6 responses has been the identification of a soluble interleukin 6 receptor (sIL-6R), which forms a ligand-receptor complex with IL-6 that is capable of stimulating a variety of cellular responses including proliferation, differentiation and activation of inflammatory processes. Elevated sIL-6R levels have been documented in numerous clinical conditions indicating that its production is coordinated as part of a disease response. Thus, sIL-6R has the potential to regulate both local and systemic IL-6-mediated events. This review will outline the central role of sIL-6R in the coordination of IL-6 responses. Details relating to the mechanisms of sIL-6R production will be provided, while the potential significance of sIL-6R during the development of clinical conditions will be emphasized. We want to convey, therefore, that when thinking about the inflammatory capability of IL-6, it is essential to consider not only the action of IL-6 itself, but also the effect sIL-6R may have on cellular processes.
authors.affiliation: Cardiff School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3US, Wales, UK. JonesSA@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Horiuchi
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Topley
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
authors.forename: G M
authors.initials: GM
authors.lastname: Fuller
mesh_terms: D017398:Alternative Splicing; D000595:Amino Acid Sequence; D000818:Animals; D001168:Arthritis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D001483:Base Sequence; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002455:Cell Division; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D004194:Disease; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology; D008969:Molecular Sequence Data; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020033:Protein Isoforms / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000096:biosynthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012995:Solubility
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D020033:Protein Isoforms; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6