Establishment and characterization of a human B cell line from the lung tissue of a patient with scleroderma; extraordinary high level of IL-6 secretion by stimulated fibroblasts.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important immunoregulatory cytokine that has been implicated in a number of fibrotic autoimmune diseases such as scleroderma, interstitial nephritis, and pulmonary interstitial fibrosis.