Interleukin-6 Protein (IL6) Human Active Protein

This gene encodes a cytokine that functions in inflammation and the maturation of B cells. In addition, the encoded protein has been shown to be an endogenous pyrogen capable of inducing fever in people with autoimmune diseases or infections. The protein is primarily produced at sites of acute and chronic inflammation, where it is secreted into the serum and induces a transcriptional inflammatory response through interleukin 6 receptor, alpha. The functioning of this gene is implicated in a wide variety of inflammation-associated disease states, including suspectibility to diabetes mellitus and systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Alternative splicing results in multiple transcript variants. [provided by RefSeq, Dec 2015]

IL6: Cytokine with a wide variety of biological functions. It is a potent inducer of the acute phase response. Plays an essential role in the final differentiation of B-cells into Ig- secreting cells Involved in lymphocyte and monocyte differentiation. It induces myeloma and plasmacytoma growth and induces nerve cells differentiation Acts on B-cells, T-cells, hepatocytes, hematopoietic progenitor cells and cells of the CNS. Also acts as a myokine. It is discharged into the bloodstream after muscle contraction and acts to increase the breakdown of fats and to improve insulin resistance. Genetic variations in IL6 are associated with susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis systemic juvenile (RASJ). An inflammatory articular disorder with systemic- onset beginning before the age of 16. It represents a subgroup of juvenile arthritis associated with severe extraarticular features and occasionally fatal complications. During active phases of the disorder, patients display a typical daily spiking fever, an evanescent macular rash, lymphadenopathy, hepatosplenomegaly, serositis, myalgia and arthritis. A IL6 promoter polymorphism is associated with a lifetime risk of development of Kaposi sarcoma in HIV-infected men. Belongs to the IL-6 superfamily.

Protein type: Secreted; Secreted, signal peptide

Chromosomal Location of Human Ortholog: 7p15.3

Cellular Component: endoplasmic reticulum lumen; extracellular region; extracellular space; interleukin-6 receptor complex

Molecular Function: cytokine activity; growth factor activity; interleukin-6 receptor binding; protein binding

Biological Process: activation of NF-kappaB transcription factor; acute-phase response; cellular protein metabolic process; cytokine and chemokine mediated signaling pathway; defense response to Gram-negative bacterium; defense response to Gram-positive bacterium; defense response to virus; endocrine pancreas development; hepatic immune response; humoral immune response; inflammatory response; monocyte chemotaxis; negative regulation of apoptosis; negative regulation of bone resorption; negative regulation of chemokine biosynthetic process; negative regulation of collagen biosynthetic process; neurite development; neutrophil apoptosis; neutrophil mediated immunity; platelet activation; positive regulation of acute inflammatory response; positive regulation of apoptosis; positive regulation of B cell activation; positive regulation of cell proliferation; positive regulation of chemokine production; positive regulation of immunoglobulin secretion; positive regulation of interleukin-6 production; positive regulation of JAK-STAT cascade; positive regulation of leukocyte chemotaxis; positive regulation of MAPKKK cascade; positive regulation of osteoblast differentiation; positive regulation of peptidyl-serine phosphorylation; positive regulation of peptidyl-tyrosine phosphorylation; positive regulation of smooth muscle cell proliferation; positive regulation of T cell proliferation; positive regulation of transcription factor activity; positive regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; positive regulation of transcription, DNA-dependent; positive regulation of translation; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein; post-translational protein modification; regulation of angiogenesis; response to glucocorticoid stimulus

Disease: Arteriovenous Malformations Of The Brain; Inflammatory Bowel Disease 1; Kaposi Sarcoma, Susceptibility To; Rheumatoid Arthritis, Systemic Juvenile