title: IL-6 pathway in the liver: From physiopathology to therapy.
abstract: Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic four-helix-bundle cytokine that exerts multiple functions in the body. In the liver, IL-6 is an important inducer of the acute phase response and infection defense. IL-6 is furthermore crucial for hepatocyte homeostasis and is a potent hepatocyte mitogen. It is not only implicated in liver regeneration, but also in metabolic function of the liver. However, persistent activation of the IL-6 signaling pathway is detrimental to the liver and might ultimately result in the development of liver tumors. On target cells IL-6 can bind to the signal transducing subunit gp130 either in complex with the membrane-bound or with the soluble IL-6 receptor to induce intracellular signaling. In this review we describe how these different pathways are involved in the physiology and pathophyiology of the liver. We furthermore discuss how IL-6 pathways can be selectively inhibited and therapeutically exploited for the treatment of liver pathologies.
authors: Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstrasse 40, Kiel, Germany.
authors: Dirk
authors: D
authors: Schmidt-Arras
authors: Institute of Biochemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Olshausenstrasse 40, Kiel, Germany. Electronic address: rosejohn@biochem.uni-kiel.de.
authors: Stefan
authors: S
authors: Rose-John
mesh_terms: D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction; D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology*; D008099:Liver / Q000502:physiology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D008115:Liver Regeneration; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000502:physiology; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors
chemical_list: D015850:Interleukin-6; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D050796:STAT3 Transcription Factor; D000093242:Interleukin-6 Inhibitors; C494086:STAT3 protein, human
keywords: Cancer; Inflammation; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-6-receptor; Liver regeneration; Trans-signaling