Correction: Historical overview of the interleukin-6 family cytokine

Kishimoto and colleagues present an overview of the complex biology of interleukin-6 family cytokines, focusing on signaling transduction of the receptor molecule. This review discusses the molecular mechanism of IL-6 expression and how this knowledge leads to the clinical field.
Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been identified as a 26-kD secreted protein that stimulates B cells to produce antibodies. Later, IL-6 was revealed to have various functions that overlap with other IL-6 family cytokines and use the common IL-6 signal transducer gp130. IL-6 stimulates cells through multiple pathways, using both membrane and soluble IL-6 receptors. As indicated by the expanding market for IL-6 inhibitors, it has become a primary therapeutic target among IL-6 family cytokines. Here, we revisit the discovery of IL-6; discuss insights regarding the roles of this family of cytokines; and highlight recent advances in our understanding of regulation of IL-6 expression.