Therapeutic strategies for the clinical blockade of IL-6/gp130 signaling

The successful treatment of certain autoimmune conditions with the humanized anti-IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) antibody tocilizumab has emphasized the clinical importance of cytokines that signal through the β-receptor subunit glycoprotein 130 (gp130). In this Review, we explore how gp130 signaling controls disease progression and examine why IL-6 has a special role among these cytokines as an inflammatory regulator. Attention will be given to the role of the soluble IL-6R, and we will provide a perspective into the clinical blockade of IL-6 activity in autoimmunity, inflammation, and cancer.

• WT
  Wellcome Trust
• DF
  Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft

  Awards: SFB654, SFB841, SFB877, SFB841, project C1
• EE
  Exzellenzclusters Entzündungsforschung