Recombinant Mouse IL-6, Tag Free

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays important roles in the acute phase reaction, inflammation, hematopoiesis, bone metabolism, and cancer progression ^{[1 - 5]}. Mature mouse IL-6 is 187 amino acids (aa) in length and shares 39% and 85% aa sequence identity with human and rat IL-6, respectively ^{[6 - 8]}. IL-6 induces signaling through a cell surface heterodimeric receptor complex composed of a ligand binding subunit (IL-6 R alpha) and a signal transducing subunit (gp130). IL-6 binds to IL-6 R alpha, triggering IL-6 R alpha association with gp130 and gp130 dimerization ^[9]. Soluble forms of IL-6 R alpha are generated by both alternative splicing and proteolytic cleavage ^[5]. In a mechanism known as trans-signaling, complexes of soluble IL-6 and IL-6 R alpha elicit responses from gp130-expressing cells that lack cell surface IL-6 R alpha ^[5]. Trans-signaling enables a wider range of cell types to respond to IL-6, as the expression of gp130 is ubiquitous, while that of IL-6 R alpha is predominantly restricted to hepatocytes, monocytes, and resting lymphocytes ^{[2, 5]}. IL-6, along with TNF-alpha and IL-1, drives the acute inflammatory response and the transition from acute inflammation to either acquired immunity or chronic inflammatory disease ^{[1 - 5]}. When dysregulated, it contributes to chronic inflammation in obesity, insulin resistance, inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis, sepsis, and atherosclerosis ^{[1, 2, 5]}. IL-6 can also function as an anti-inflammatory molecule, as in skeletal muscle where it is secreted in responseto exercise ^[2]. In addition, it enhances hematopoietic stem cell proliferation and the differentiation of Th17 cells, memory B cells, and plasma cells ^{[1, 10]}.

Reference

[1]. Mansell, A. and B.J. Jenkins (2013) Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 24:249.

[2]. Schuett, H. et al. (2009) Thromb. Haemost. 102:215.

[3]. Erta, M. et al. (2012) Int. J. Biol. Sci. 8:1254.

[4]. Garbers, C. et al. (2012) Cytokine Growth Factor Rev. 23:85.

[5]. Mihara, M. et al. (2012) Clin. Sci. (Lond.) 122:143.

[6]. Chiu, C.P. et al. (1988) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA 85:7099.

[7]. Simpson, R.J. et al. (1988) Eur. J. Biochem. 176:187.

[8]. Van Snick, J. et al. (1988) Eur. J. Immunol. 18:193.

[9]. Murakami, M. et al. (1993) Science 260:1808.

[10]. Cerutti, A. et al. (1998) J. Immunol. 160:2145.