Interleukin-6 and pulmonary hypertension: from physiopathology to therapy

Wei-Jie Xu; Qiong Wu; Wen-Ni He; Shang Wang; Ya-Lin Zhao; Jun-Xia Huang; Xue-Shen Yan; Rong Jiang

doi:10.3389/fimmu.2023.1181987

Interleukin-6 and pulmonary hypertension: from physiopathology to therapy

Front Immunol. 2023 Jun 28:14:1181987. doi: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1181987. eCollection 2023.

Authors

Wei-Jie Xu¹, Qiong Wu², Wen-Ni He³, Shang Wang³, Ya-Lin Zhao⁴, Jun-Xia Huang⁵, Xue-Shen Yan⁵, Rong Jiang³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Clinical Laboratory, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
² Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Tongren Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China.
³ Department of Cardiopulmonary Circulation, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China.
⁴ Department of Respiratory Critical Care Medicine, The First Hospital of Kunming, Kunming, China.
⁵ Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, China.

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a progressive, pulmonary vascular disease with high morbidity and mortality. Unfortunately, the pathogenesis of PH is complex and remains unclear. Existing studies have suggested that inflammatory factors are key factors in PH. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional cytokine that plays a crucial role in the regulation of the immune system. Current studies reveal that IL-6 is elevated in the serum of patients with PH and it is negatively correlated with lung function in those patients. Since IL-6 is one of the most important mediators in the pathogenesis of inflammation in PH, signaling mechanisms targeting IL-6 may become therapeutic targets for this disease. In this review, we detailed the potential role of IL-6 in accelerating PH process and the specific mechanisms and signaling pathways. We also summarized the current drugs targeting these inflammatory pathways to treat PH. We hope that this study will provide a more theoretical basis for targeted treatment in patients with PH in the future.

Keywords: inflammation; interleukin-6; nuclear factor kappa-B; pulmonary hypertension; signaling pathway.

Publication types

Review
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
Hypertension, Pulmonary* / etiology
Hypertension, Pulmonary* / therapy
Inflammation / pathology
Interleukin-6 / metabolism
Lung / pathology
Signal Transduction

Substances

Interleukin-6

Grants and funding

The work was funded by the Three-year Action Plan to Promote Clinical Skills and Clinical Innovation in Municipal Hospitals (FKLY20011) and the Clinical Research Foundation of Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital (SKPY2021004).