Inhibition of Interleukin-6 Receptor: A Target of Atherosclerosis Prevention?

A study of a variant of the IL6R gene and a Mendelian randomization for drug-target validation suggest that IL-6 is more than just a risk marker.

A causal role of systemic-inflammation biomarkers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, and interleukin (IL)-6 in atherogenesis remains controversial. To study causality, genetics researchers use Mendelian randomization to analyze the associations among genotype, phenotype, and disease risk. In an extension of this paradigm — Mendelian randomization for drug-target validation — variants of a gene that encodes a drug target are used to elucidate how the drug affects the target and to distinguish between on-target and off-target effects.

To assess whether the IL-6 receptor (IL6R) is causally related to coronary artery disease (CAD), investigators performed a collaborative meta-analysis of 82 studies of Asp358Ala, a functional genetic v…

Reviewing Author

Beat J. Meyer, MD

Disclosures

Leadership positions in professional societiesBern Heart Foundation (President); International Academy of Medicine, Bern, Switzerland (Director)

Beat J. Meyer, MD

Disclosures

Leadership positions in professional societiesBern Heart Foundation (President); International Academy of Medicine, Bern, Switzerland (Director)