title: Interleukin-6 (IL-6): a possible neuromodulator induced by neuronal activity.
abstract: IL-6 and its receptor(s) are found in the CNS in health and disease. Cellular sources are glial cells and neurons. Glial production of IL-6 has intensively been studied, but comparatively little is known about the induction of IL-6 in neurons. Emerging evidence suggests that IL-6 possesses neurotrophic properties. Recent data show that neuronal IL-6 expression is induced by excitatory amino acids or membrane depolarization. This implicates that IL-6 is produced not only under pathological conditions but may play a critical role as a physiological neuromodulator that is induced by neuronal activity and regulates brain functions. In the following article, the authors review the current data on IL-6 expression in neurons, with special reference to the induction of IL-6 by neuronal activity. They discuss its direct and indirect effects as a neuromodulator and speculate about the possible function of IL-6 as a physiological regulatory molecule and as a neuroprotective agent in brain pathology.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Heidelberg, Germany.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Jüttler
authors.forename: Victoria
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tarabin
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schwaninger
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism; D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids / Q000502:physiology; D005334:Fever / Q000378:metabolism; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D008564:Membrane Potentials; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors / Q000502:physiology; D009457:Neuroglia / Q000502:physiology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000378:metabolism; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018846:Excitatory Amino Acids; D015850:Interleukin-6; D009414:Nerve Growth Factors; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6