Interleukin-6: The Major Regulator of Acute-Phase Protein Synthesis in Man and Rat

ABSTRACT The regulation of the major acute phase proteins by interleukin-6/hepatocyte-stimulating factor (IL-6/HSF), interleukin-1s (IL-1s) and tumor necrosis factor a (TNFa) was studied in rat hepatocyte primary cultures. IL-6 was found to be the most effective inducer of acute phase protein synthesis in vitro and also in vivo. IL-6 was rapidly removed from blood and detected on the surface of hepatocytes. Also in human hepatocyte primary cultures IL-6, when compared to IL-1s and TNFa, exbihited the strongest capacity to stimulate acute phase protein synthesis.