Description
Relevance: Cytokines of the IL6/GCSF/MGF family are glycoproteins of about 170 to 180 amino acid residues that contain four conserved cysteine residues involved in two disulfide bonds. They have a compact, globular fold (similar to other interleukins), stabilized by the 2 disulfide bonds. One half of the structure is dominated by a 4 alpha-helix bundle with a left-handed twist; the helices are anti-parallel, with 2 overhand connections, which fall into a 2-stranded anti-parallel beta-sheet. The fourth alpha helix is important to the biological activity of the molecule. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is an important proinflammatory and immunoregulatory cytokine expressed by various cells. Interleukin-6 has been shown to inhibit the growth of early stage and to promote the proliferation of advanced stage melanoma cells in vitro.
Function: 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. Acts on B-cells, T-cells, hepatocytes, hematopoietic progenitor cells and cells of the CNS. Required for the generation of T(H)17 cells. 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. It induces myeloma and plasmacytoma growth and induces nerve cells differentiation