Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.
Max Planck Institute for Metabolism Research, Cologne, Germany.
Trends Immunol. 2015 Feb;36(2):92-101. doi: 10.1016/j.it.2014.12.008. Epub 2015 Jan 21.
Owing to its abundance in inflammatory settings, interleukin IL-6 is frequently viewed as a proinflammatory cytokine, with functions that parallel those of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and IL-1β in the context of inflammation. However, accumulating evidence points to a broader role for IL-6 in a variety of (patho)physiological conditions, including functions related to the resolution of inflammation. We review recent findings on the complex biological functions governed by IL-6 signaling, focusing on its role in inflammation-associated cancer and metabolic disorders such as obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). We propose that the anti-inflammatory functions of IL-6 may extend to multiple settings and cell types, and suggest that these dimensions should be incorporated in therapeutic approaches to these diseases. Finally, we outline important areas of inquiry towards understanding this pleiotropic cytokine.
由于白细胞介素 6 (IL-6) 在炎症环境中丰富，它通常被视为一种促炎细胞因子，其功能与肿瘤坏死因子 (TNF) 和白细胞介素 1β (IL-1β) 在炎症环境中的功能相似。然而，越来越多的证据表明，IL-6 在多种（病理）生理条件下具有更广泛的作用，包括与炎症消退相关的功能。我们回顾了最近关于 IL-6 信号转导所调控的复杂生物学功能的发现，重点关注其在与炎症相关的癌症和代谢紊乱（如肥胖和 2 型糖尿病）中的作用。我们提出，IL-6 的抗炎功能可能扩展到多种环境和细胞类型，并建议在治疗这些疾病时应考虑这些方面。最后，我们概述了理解这种多效细胞因子的重要研究领域。
