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IL6RA, Interleukin-6 Receptor Subunit Alpha

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Encyclopedia of Signaling Molecules

Synonyms

CD126; Glycoprotein 80; gp80; IL-6R; IL-6Rα; Interleukin-6 receptor subunit alpha

Historical Background

The interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) is a type I transmembrane protein that was cloned and described in 1988 (Yamasaki et al. 1988). It serves as the non-signaling alpha-receptor of the multifunctional cytokine IL-6 and is expressed in a cell-type-specific manner. The IL-6R shares many features with other receptors of the IL-6 family of cytokines, notably the interleukin-11 receptor (IL-11R) and the ciliary neurotrophic factor receptor (CNTFR) (Garbers et al. 2012). All these cytokines signal through the common β-receptor glycoprotein 130 (gp130).

Domain Organization and Cellular Expression of the IL-6R

The IL-6R is a prototypical type I transmembrane protein that consists of three extracellular domains. The Ig-like domain (often referred to as “D1” domain) is followed by two fibronectin type III-like domains (“D2” and “D3”), which form the so-called cytokine-binding module...

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References

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Correspondence to Christoph Garbers .

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Garbers, C., Rose-John, S. (2018). IL6RA, Interleukin-6 Receptor Subunit Alpha. In: Choi, S. (eds) Encyclopedia of Signaling Molecules. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-67199-4_101661

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