INTERLEUKIN-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates vari
ous aspects of the immune response, acute-phase reaction and haematopo
iesis (for reviews see refs 1, 2). In vitro, leukaemia inhibitory fact
or, oncostatin M, ciliary neurotrophic factor and interleukin-ll displ
ay overlapping activities with IL-6. This functional redundancy may be
explained by the interactions of specific binding receptors with a co
mmon signal-transducing receptor (gp130) (for reviews see refs 3, 4).
To elucidate the unique function of IL-6 in vivo, we have disrupted th
e IL-6 gene by homologous recombination. IL-6-deficient mice develop n
ormally. They fail to control efficiently vaccinia virus and infection
with Listeria mono-cytogenes, a facultative intracellular bacterium.
The T-cell-dependent antibody response against vesicular stomatitis vi
rus is impaired. Further, the inflammatory acute-phase response after
tissue damage or infection is severely compromised, whereas it is only
moderately affected after challenge with lipopolysaccharide. We concl
ude that IL-6 production induced by injury or infection is an importan
t in vivo SOS signal which coordinates activities of liver cells, macr
ophages and lymphocytes.