IL-6 complexes with sIL-6R to induce TRPV1 gene expression in a STAT3-dependent manner in DRG neurons. (A) Representative immunofluorescence staining of pSTAT3 in DRGs isolated form WT mice treated with control buffer, IL-6, sIL-6R, IL-6+sIL-6R, IL-6+sIL-6R+gp130Fc, IL-6+sIL-6R+IgGFc. Right panel: the fraction of DRG cells stained with pSTAT3 (*P<0.05, **P<0.05, n=6), scale bar 50μm. (B) TRPV1 mRNA levels were increased in DRG cells isolated from WT mice treated for 24 hours with IL-6+sIL-6R together but not separately. TRPVI mRNA levels were reduced by pretreatment with gp130Fc or Statics, a pSTAT3 inhibitor (*P<0.05, **P<0.01).