IL-11 is a cytokine that plays a key role in fibrotic inflammatory states. Blocking IL-11 has been shown to inhibit diseases in multiple organs (liver, lung, kidney, heart, and skin). Preclinical studies have demonstrated that antibody-based IL-11 antagonists can prevent and reverse inflammation and fibrosis, as well as restore organ function.
Mature IL-11 is a cytokine composed of 178 amino acids, expressed in the extracellular matrix. IL-11 belongs to the IL-6 cytokine family along with IL-6, both initiating signal transduction by forming surface-similar hexameric complexes with their respective homologous receptors and gp130. Due to structural differences between IL-11 and IL-6, they trigger distinct signal activation mechanisms upon dimerization with their receptors and gp130. In immune-related cells, IL-6 mainly induces inflammation-related gene expression through the JAK/STAT pathway; however, in fibroblasts, studies have found that IL-11 leads to sustained ERK activation without STAT-related activation, resulting in the expression of fibrosis-related genes.
