Master regulator of intestinal disease: IL-6 in chronic inflammation and cancer development.

Abstract

IL-6 signaling is of central importance for the maintenance of chronic intestinal inflammation in inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) such as Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. IL-6 regulates T cell differentiation, activation and resistance against apoptosis and thereby controls the balance between pro-inflammatory T cell subsets such as Th1 or Th17 cells and immunosuppressive regulatory T cells. Furthermore, IL-6 has been implicated in the pathogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC). In fact, IL-6 directly promotes tumor cell proliferation and survival through STAT3 activation. Due to its role in both types of diseases, IL-6 has been proposed as a missing link between inflammation and tumor development. During recent years, several therapeutics targeting IL-6 dependent pathways have been developed. Although clinical data about anti-IL-6 treatment in intestinal diseases are currently scarce, targeting this pathway might be a promising strategy in IBD and CRC.

• Authors: Maximilian J Waldner, Markus F Neurath
• Journal: Seminars in immunology (Semin Immunol) Vol. 26 Issue 1 Pg. 75-9 (Feb 2014) ISSN: 1096-3618 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 24447345 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Interleukin-6
• STAT3 Transcription Factor

Topics

• Animals
• Cell Transformation, Neoplastic (genetics, immunology, metabolism)
• Colorectal Neoplasms (drug therapy, genetics, immunology, metabolism)
• Gene Expression Regulation (drug effects)
• Humans
• Inflammatory Bowel Diseases (drug therapy, genetics, immunology, metabolism)
• Interleukin-6 (genetics, metabolism)
• Molecular Targeted Therapy
• STAT3 Transcription Factor (metabolism)
• Signal Transduction (drug effects)
• T-Lymphocyte Subsets (immunology, metabolism)