Pro-inflammatory cytokine 11 plays a pivotal role in inflammaging-associated pathologies.

Chronic sterile inflammation contributes to aging-associated pathologies/malignancies like cancer and autoimmune disorders. In their recent Nature article, Widjaja et al. established the pro-inflammatory, pro-fibrotic cytokine 11 (IL11) as a regulatory driver/hub of aging-associated inflammation (inflammaging) in mice. Genetic and pharmacological IL11 blockade reduces inflammaging, improving healthspan, lifespan, and longevity in male and female mice, highlighting IL11 as a new inflammatory aging clock and a potential molecular target in inflammaging-associated human degenerative diseases.