IL-6
Pleiotropic cytokine driving acute-phase response and joint destruction
- Expression
- Elevated
- Evidence level
- established
- Targeted by
- Tocilizumab
Role in pathogenesis
IL-6 serum levels are highly increased in both systemic and chronic articular AOSD phenotypes. IL-6 drives hepatic production of ferritin, CRP, and other acute-phase reactants, contributes to fever, and promotes joint destruction via osteoclast activation. IL-6 blockade with tocilizumab is particularly effective for the chronic articular phenotype and enables glucocorticoid sparing.
Targeting drugs (1)
| Drug | Mechanism | Response | Line |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tocilizumab | Anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody | ~61% (ACR50) | 2nd |
Sources (3)
DetailsFeist E et al. (2018) Mechanisms, biomarkers and targets for adult-onset Still's disease · Nat Rev RheumatolPubMed ↗