====== Interleukin-6 ======

[[Interleukin]] 6 (IL6), also referred to as [[B cell]] stimulatory factor-2 (BSF-2) and interferon beta-2.

It is a pleiotropic inflammatory [[cytokine]] of low molecular weight, approximately 26 kD, with a biological half-time of less than one hour
((Brown JM, Grosso MA, Harken AH. Cytokines, sepsis and the surgeon. Surg
Gynecol Obstet. 1989 Dec;169(6):568-75. Review. PubMed PMID: 2683159.
))
, involved in a wide variety of biological functions.

Generally, IL-6 exerts proinflammatory effects including stimulation of the growth of mature B cells and promotion of the synthesis of C-reactive protein by the liver during tissue injury of infection
((Brown JM, Grosso MA, Harken AH. Cytokines, sepsis and the surgeon. Surg
Gynecol Obstet. 1989 Dec;169(6):568-75. Review. PubMed PMID: 2683159.
))
((Le JM, Vilcek J. Interleukin 6: a multifunctional cytokine regulating immune
reactions and the acute phase protein response. Lab Invest. 1989
Dec;61(6):588-602. Review. PubMed PMID: 2481148.
)).

High circulating IL-6 levels are associated with various diseases, including cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, cancer growth, acute [[cerebral ischemia]], and acute brain injury 
((Cesari M, Penninx BW, Newman AB, Kritchevsky SB, Nicklas BJ, Sutton-Tyrrell K, et al. Inflammatory markers and onset of cardiovascular events: results from the Health ABC study. Circulation. 2003;108: 2317–2322.))
((Fassbender K, Rossol S, Kammer T, Daffertshofer M, Wirth S, Dollman M, et al. Proinflammatory cytokines in serum of patients with acute cerebral ischemia: kinetics of secretion and relation to the extent of brain damage and outcome of disease. J Neurol Sci. 1994;122: 135–139.))
((Folsom AR, Chambless LE, Ballantyne CM, Coresh J, Heiss G, Wu KK, et al. An assessment of incremental coronary risk prediction using C-reactive protein and other novel risk markers: the atherosclerosis risk in communities study. Arch Intern Med. 2006;166: 1368–1373.))
((Heikkila K, Ebrahim S, Lawlor DA. Systematic review of the association between circulating interleukin-6 (IL-6) and cancer. Eur J Cancer. 2008;44: 937–945.)) 
((Minambres E, Cemborain A, Sanchez-Velasco P, Gandarillas M, Diaz-Reganon G, Sanchez-Gonzalez U, et al. Correlation between transcranial interleukin-6 gradient and outcome in patients with acute brain injury. Crit Care Med. 2003;31: 933–938.)).
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IL-6 and MMP9 may be involved in the acute process of pituitary apoplexy in Cushing's disease.
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The optimism surrounding the [[Interleukin 6]] inhibitor drugs should be tempered with caution, as further research is needed to completely understand its efficacy, side effects, and therapeutic potential
((Johnson J, Wang MY. Interlukin-6 receptor inhibitor tocilizumab: a new
treatment option in rheumatoid arthritis? Neurosurgery. 2008 Aug;63(2):N8. doi:
10.1227/01.NEU.0000335796.72760.EC. PubMed PMID: 18797345.)).

===== Classification =====

Family: IL-6 Cytokine Family

IL-6 belongs to the IL-6 family of cytokines, which share the common receptor subunit gp130 for signal transduction.

Other members of the IL-6 family include:

Leukemia Inhibitory Factor (LIF)

Cardiotrophin-1 ([[CTF1]])

Oncostatin M (OSM)

Ciliary Neurotrophic Factor (CNTF)

Interleukin-11 (IL-11)

Interleukin-27 (IL-27)
===== Interlukin-6 receptor =====
 

===== Interleukin 6 after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage =====


see [[Interleukin 6 after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage]].