Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a pleiotropic glycoprotein belonging to the IL-6 family of cytokines. IL-6 is a multifunctional cytokine with well-defined pro- and anti-inflammatory properties. IL-6 is secreted by T cells and macrophages to stimulate immune response, e.g. during infection and after trauma, especially burns or other tissue damage leading to inflammation. The O-linked sugar chain of IL-6 is thought to contribute to the stability of the cytokine through polymerization suppression and/or conformational changes, exemplifying the significance of its expression in a human expression system (which allows proper glycosylation).
Synonyms: IL-6
MDL Number: MFCD00131403
Purity: >=98% (SDS-PAGE)
Storage: -20C
Biochem Physiol Actions: Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional protein originally discovered in the media of cells stimulated with double stranded RNA. IL-6 appears to be directly involved in the responses that occur after infection and injury and may prove to be as important as IL-1 and TNF-alpha in regulating the acute phase response. IL-6 is reported to be produced by fibroblasts, activated T cells, activated monocytes or macrophages, and endothelial cells. It acts upon a variety of cells, including fibroblasts, myeloid progenitor cells, T cells, B cells and hepatocytes. IL-6 induces multiple effects, as indicated by its numerous synonyms: plasmacytoma growth factor (PCT-GF), interferon-beta-2 (IFN-beta2), monocyte derived human B cell growth factor, B cell stimulating factor (BSF-2), hepatocyte stimulating factor (HSF), Interleukin Hybridoma/Plasmacytoma-1 (IL-HP1). In addition, IL-6 appears to interact with IL-2 in the proliferation of T lymphocytes. IL-6 also potentiates the proliferative effect of IL-3 on multipotential hematopoietic progenitors.