Effect of IL-6 and OPG/RANKL/RANK signal pathway in the occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis is a kind of common chronic systemic inflammatory disease, belong to autoimmune disease.Studies have shown that IL-6 combined to IL-6 receptor produce the biological effects related to rheumatoid arthritis closely. Effect of IL-6 on cartilage degradation and degradation in rheumatoid arthritis that may be worked by regulating the OPG/RANKL/RANK signal pathway. IL-6 can stimulate osteoclast directly, and through promoting the expression of RANKL to indirectly strengthen osteoclast activity, and then have an important impact on the development of rheumatoid arthritis. We review the related research of IL-6 and OPG/RANKL/RANK signaling pathway with rheumatoid arthritis.