Interleukin 6 production in the central nervous system during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

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Abstract
Interleukin 6 (IL6) is one of the major inflammation‐associated cytokines. Elevated serum or tissue levels of IL 6 have been reported to occur in several human diseases, including infections of the central nervous system (CNS), but not in non‐infectious CNS inflammation, e.g. multiple sclerosis. While studying experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) as an animal model for autoimmune inflammation of the CNS, we found increased IL 6 levels in the CNS of mice suffering from a lethal form of the disease. IL 6 levels in the spleens and sera were not significantly increased. These findings are indicative of local production of IL6 in the CNS during EAE, and represent the first demonstration of IL6 production in non‐infectious CNS inflammatory disease.