IL6
LOCUS ID3569
GENE_SYMBOLIL6
GENE NAMEinterleukin 6
SYNONYMNSHGF, HSF, BSF2, IL-6, IFNB2
CHROMOSOME7
HOMOLOGENE ID502
microRNAsNANA
GENE SUMMARY
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]

OBSERVATIONS

Complication Evidence PMID
Nephropathy1. While IL6, CCL2 and CCR5-mR, and CD68 were overexpressed in the tubulointerstitial compartment in clinical DN, they were not expressed in microalbuminuria.24786705
Retinopathy1. The inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors IL1B, IL6, IL8, CCL2, EDN1, VEGF, and TNF are increased in the vitreous of PDR patients without an increase in IL-10. These add support to the role of inflammatory cytokines and angiogenic factors in the genesis of PDR22409294
Atherosclerosis1. Homocysteine upregulates the MMP-TIMP pathway and IL6 release, the effect being stronger in the presence of high glucose. These actions of homocysteine may contribute to the increased atherogenesis observed in diabetic patients with poor metabolic control16896935
Neuropathy1. The serum pro-inflammatory cytokines MIF, TNF-alpha, and IL-6 levels play an important role in the pathogenesis of DM and diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN).19567096
Tuberculosis1. Tuberculosis with diabetes is characterized by elevated circulating levels of type 1 (IFN-?, tumor necrosis factor-?, and IL-2), type 2 (IL-5), and type 17 (IL-17A) cytokines but decreased circulating levels of IL-22. This was associated with increased systemic levels of other pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1?, IL-6, and IL-18) and an anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) but not type 1 IFNs.23987505