THE ROLE OF INTERLEUKIN-6 IN CERTAIN AGE-RELATED DISEASES

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine with a wide range of functions. Perhaps the most important physiologically is its role a s a mediator of the acute phase inflammatory response. Normally, there is little measurable IL-6 in the circulation, but levels increase abr uptly to nanogram amounts during an inflammatory process. During aging , it has been proposed that the tight regulation of IL-6 gene expressi on becomes less effective and levels are measurable even when there is no evidence for inflammation. Several investigators have identified t his cytokine as being involved in the pathogenesis of various disease processes and we have suggested that certain age-associated diseases a re directly related. Among these are late-life lymphoma and myeloma, o steoporosis and possibly Alzheimer's disease.