2022, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (18): 2945-2951

Interleukin 6 involved in a series of reaction processes of osteogenesis and bone repair

Wang Jing1, Wang Wanyuji2, Zhang Yi3, Ma Yaping1, Wang Xin1   

Abstract: BACKGROUND: The healing of large segmental bone defects has been a clinical challenge, although several substances that promote osteogenesis have been identified. However, further studies are needed on the effects of inflammatory factors on bone healing, especially on the important factors affecting osteogenesis in the early stage of bone healing.   
OBJECTIVE: To summarize the relationship between interleukin-6 and bone metabolism, understand the mechanism of interleukin 6 in osteogenesis, and provide theoretical reference for new osteogenesis programs.
METHODS:   A search was conducted by the first author between July and August 2021 to retrieve relevant articles on PubMed database from January 1990 to July 2021 and CNKI database from January 1979 to July 2021. The English key words were “interleukin 6” or “bone metabolism” or “osteoblast” or “osteoclast” or “bone regeneration” or “mesenchymal stem cells” or “vascularization”. The Chinese key words were “interleukin 6” and “bone regeneration”, “interleukin 6” and “osteoblast”, “interleukin 6” and “osteoclast”, “interleukin 6” and “bone metabolism”. A total of 903 Chinese and English articles were obtained and 88 articles were included for review and analysis according to inclusion and exclusion criteria.   
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: Interleukin 6, as a cytokine with a wide range of functions in vivo, also plays an important role in all stages of osteogenesis. (1) Interleukin 6 has been found to play an important role in various bone repair cells (such as mesenchymal stem cells, osteoblasts and osteoclasts) as well as in angiogenesis of bone defects. (2) Interleukin 6 interacts with a variety of osteogenic factors in vivo and exerts an effect in a vast network of bone repair. (3) Blood clots as an important factor can promote early bone healing; interleukin 6 can not only regulate the formation of blood clots, but also affect the structure of blood clots by regulating γ fibrin strips. The structure of blood clot has an important influence on the early stage of osteogenesis, so interleukin-6 can affect the early stage of bone healing by regulating the structure of blood clot. (4) In this paper, the specific mechanism of interleukin 6 affecting osteogenesis is reviewed, which is expected to further understand bone regeneration and healing, and provide new therapeutic strategies and protocols for osteogenesis.
Key words: interleukin 6, osteogenesis, osteoblasts, osteoclasts, blood clot, review