title: The role of soluble receptors in cytokine biology: the agonistic properties of the sIL-6R/IL-6 complex.
abstract: Cytokines perform ever-increasing roles in both, the regulation of general homeostasis and in orchestrating the immune response during disease. To ensure that control of the cytokine network is tightly regulated, nature has developed a series of systems designed for this purpose. In this respect, researchers have placed considerable emphasis on identifying and characterising the regulatory properties of soluble cytokine receptors. These proteins bind their ligands with similar affinities to those of their cognate transmembrane receptors and are effective at prolonging the circulating half-life of cytokines they bind. However, it is the individual capacity of these soluble receptors to act as either antagonists or agonists which has been the principal focus of most research studies. This review provides an overview of the activities of soluble cytokine receptors, but primarily concentrates on those that possess agonistic properties.
authors.affiliation: Molecular Cell Biology Research Group, Cardiff School of Biosciences, Biomedical Sciences Building, Cardiff University, Wales, UK. jonessa@cf.ac.uk
authors.forename: Simon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rose-John
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000502:physiology; D001168:Arthritis / Q000503:physiopathology; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130; D006410:Hematopoiesis; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000502:physiology; D020556:Neutrophil Infiltration / Q000502:physiology; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1 / Q000502:physiology; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000819:agonists / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D012995:Solubility; D014764:Viral Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD; D050822:Cytokine Receptor gp130; D015850:Interleukin-6; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D018121:Receptors, Cytokine; D017472:Receptors, Interleukin-1; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014764:Viral Proteins; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors; C494199:IL6ST protein, human