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. 1996 Mar;64(3):714–718. doi: 10.1128/iai.64.3.714-718.1996

Interleukins 6 and 11 protect mice from mortality in a staphylococcal enterotoxin-induced toxic shock model.

B E Barton 1, J Shortall 1, J V Jackson 1
PMCID: PMC173827  PMID: 8641771

Abstract

BALB/By mice given doses of D-galactosamine plus Staphylococcus aureus enterotoxin B die within 48 h of administration. The cause of death is a syndrome much like toxic shock syndrome in humans. We used this model to investigate the role of two cytokines, interleukin 6 and interleukin 11, which share the signal transducing subunit, gp130, of their respective receptors. We observed that pretreatment of mice with antibody to interleukin 6 increased mortality from 55% to nearly 90% (P < 0.001), while pretreatment with either cytokine reduced death. The protection was dose dependent; however, interleukin 6 was about 10-fold more potent that interleukin 11. These data indicate that endogenous interleukin 6 plays a protective role in attenuating acute inflammatory responses; furthermore, interleukin 6 and interleukin 11 can abrogate T-cell activation due to triggering by superantigen. A possible clinical role for these cytokines in the treatment of toxic shock merits further investigation.

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Selected References

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