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(Hypertension. 2007;49:e18.)
© 2007 American Heart Association, Inc.

Letters to the Editor

Interleukin-6 Antagonists for the Management of Hypertension

Shailendra Kapoor

Department of Family Medicine, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Ill

To the Editor:

I read with great interest the recent article published by Luther et al¹ in the December 2006 issue of Hypertension, which focused on how angiotensin II induces interleukin (IL)-6 in humans. The authors suggest that angiotensin II performs this function through a mineralocorticoid receptor–dependent mechanism.

I would like to suggest the possible future role of IL-6 antagonists in the control and treatment of recalcitrant hypertension. Abnormal IL-6 levels have been noted in almost all types of inflammatory disorders. Abnormal IL-6 production has also been noted in acute coronary syndromes² and a number of malignancies, such as multiple myeloma. It is widely believed that IL-6 may have a major role to play in the pathogenesis of almost all inflammatory disorders in the body.

Manfredini et al³ reported the development of an IL-6 peptide antagonist that was shown to reduce IL-6 activity in vitro. Another molecule that is currently being studied is tocilizumab. Tocilizumab is an antihuman IL-6 receptor antibody of the IgG1 subclass currently used primarily in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. It binds to both the soluble and the membrane-bound forms of IL-6 receptors, thus markedly reducing binding of IL-6 to its receptors and, thus, reducing its proinflammatory function.⁴ Molecules such as tocilizumab have shown considerable promise as IL-6 antagonists and may play a vital role in management of recalcitrant hypertension in the near future.

	Acknowledgments

 
Disclosures

None.

	References

Top References

 

1. Luther JM, Gainer JV, Murphey LJ, Yu C, Vaughan DE, Morrow JD, and Brown NJ. Angiotensin II induces IL-6 in humans through a mineralocorticoid receptor-dependent mechanism. Hypertension. 2006; 48: 1050–1057.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
2. Schieffer B, Schieffer E, Hilfiker-Kleiner D, Hilfiker A, Kovanen PT, Kaartinen M, Nussberger J, Harringer W, Drexler H. Expression of angiotensin II and IL 6 in human coronary atherosclerotic plaques: potential implications for inflammation and plaque instability. Circulation. 2000; 101: 1372–1378.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
3. Manfredini R, Tenedini E, Siena M, Tagliafico E, Montanari M, Grande A, Zanocco-Marani T, Poligani C, Zini R, Gemelli C, Bergamaschi A, Vignudelli T, De Rienzo F, De Benedetti PG, Menziani MC, Ferrari S. Development of an IL-6 antagonist peptide that induces apoptosis in 7TD1 cells. Peptides. 2003; 24: 1207–1220.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]
4. Maini RN, Taylor PC, Szechinski J, Pavelka K, Broll J, Balint G, Emery P, Raemen F, Petersen J, Smolen J, Thomson D, Kishimoto T, and CHARISMA Study Group. Double-blind randomized controlled clinical trial of the IL-6 receptor antagonist, tocilizumab, in european patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had an incomplete response to methotrexate. Arthritis Rheum. 2006; 54: 2817–2829.[CrossRef][Medline] [Order article via Infotrieve]

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. M. Luther and N. J. Brown Response to Interleukin-6 Antagonists for the Management of Hypertension Hypertension, March 1, 2007; 49(3): e19 - e19. [Full Text] [PDF]

This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 49/3/e18    most recent 01.HYP.0000257805.64783.d9v1 Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Kapoor, S. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Kapoor, S. Pubmed/NCBI databases Substance via MeSH Medline Plus Health Information High Blood Pressure Related Collections Other hypertension