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Lowering the activity of interleukin-6 (IL-6) \u2013 a key immune signal regulating inflammatory responses in the body \u2013 could reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease without making people more vulnerable to infections, according to new research from LMU\u2019s\u00a0Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research<\/a>\u00a0and international collaborators.<\/p>\n The team led by Dr.\u00a0Marios Georgakis<\/a>, Junior Group Leader at the Institute for Stroke and Dementia Research (ISD) and member of the\u00a0SyNergy cluster of excellence<\/a>, used large-scale human genetic analyses to mimic the effects of drugs that block IL-6. Previous genetic studies had focused on variants in the IL6R gene, which encodes not IL-6 itself but the corresponding receptor. <\/p>\n \u201cThese studies suggested that suppressing the IL-6 receptor could be associated with cardiovascular benefits, but raised concerns about increased infection risk,\u201d explains Georgakis. Whether these findings would translate to under-development drugs that directly inhibit IL-6 remained unclear. And so the LMU researchers turned their attention to genes that encode IL-6.<\/p>\n In the new study, published in\u00a0Nature Cardiovascular Research, they analyzed genetic data from over half a million people of European and East Asian ancestry. They found that individuals carrying variants in the IL6 gene linked to lower IL-6 signaling had a reduced lifetime risk of coronary heart disease, stroke, and peripheral artery disease. Strikingly, these variants were also associated with a lower risk of pneumonia and sepsis \u2013 countering fears that blocking IL-6 might impair the body\u2019s ability to fight infections.<\/p>\n \u201cOur study shows that genetic variants mimicking IL-6 inhibition are associated with lower cardiovascular risk and, potentially, even a lower risk of specific infections,\u201d says\u00a0Lanyue Zhang<\/a>, first author of the paper. \u201cOur findings highlight how human genetics can be used to anticipate the benefits and risks of new therapies. The results support both the efficacy and safety potential of under-development IL-6 inhibitors currently in clinical trials for cardiovascular disease,\u201d says Georgakis. The genetic evidence also pointed to potential improvements in type 2 diabetes risk and lipid profiles, hinting at broader metabolic benefits.<\/p>\n Reference: Zhang L, Omarov M, Xu L, deGoma E, Natarajan P, Georgakis MK. IL6 genetic perturbation mimicking IL-6 inhibition is associated with lower cardiometabolic risk. Nat Cardiovasc Res. 2025:1-15. doi: 10.1038\/s44161-025-00700-7<\/a><\/p>\n This article has been republished from the following materials<\/a>. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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