Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic cytokine synthesized predominantly by neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages and plays an important role in systemic inflammatory disease.
Our selection ranges from an overview of current genetic understanding of the similarities and differences between immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs); discussion of several biological mechanisms underlying the aberrant activation of myeloid cells in RA, and how myeloid cell relevant anti-inflammatory mediators may contribute to immune resolution; presentation of fascinating evidence for the existence of innate immune memory in stromal cells and how this may exacerbate or restrain inflammatory disease; and a review of how the interleukin (IL)-6 family members IL-6 and IL-27 may drive or regulate inflammation.
Serum interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) concentrations in patients with SLE (n = 117) or RA (n = 164) and in inflammatory disease-free control subjects (n = 172) were measured by multiplex ELISA.
Following disease induction, daily systemic administration of human recombinant Anx-A1 (hrAnx-A1), during the afferent phase of disease, restrained autoreactive CD4(+) cell proliferation, reduced expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-17, IFN-γ and IL-6 and attenuated autoimmune retinal inflammatory disease.