# The role of IL-11 in chronic diseases **Authors:** Jingxuan Zhang, Yan Leng, Wenyuan Li, Bihan Wang, Baichuan Yang, Wei Li PMC · DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2026.1763360 · Frontiers in Immunology · 2026-02-18 ## TL;DR This review explores how IL-11 contributes to chronic diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target. ## Contribution The paper provides a comprehensive overview of IL-11's biology and its role in chronic diseases, highlighting its therapeutic potential. ## Key findings - IL-11 is involved in immune cell differentiation and tissue repair. - IL-11 plays a significant role in the progression of chronic diseases. - Targeting the IL-11 pathway shows therapeutic potential in experimental and clinical studies. ## Abstract Initially recognized for its role in hematopoiesis, Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is now understood to possess a wide spectrum of biological activities. It is involved in critical physiological processes, including immune cell differentiation, inflammatory response regulation, and tissue repair. Consequently, IL-11 is strongly implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of various chronic diseases. This review examines the multifaceted biology of IL-11, detailing its discovery, molecular structure, and signaling mechanisms. We also explore its expression patterns across different tissues. A primary focus is placed on elucidating the critical role of IL-11 in the pathogenesis and progression of various chronic diseases. Furthermore, we discuss the emerging therapeutic potential of targeting the IL-11 pathway, evaluating evidence from both experimental models and clinical studies. By synthesizing current knowledge on the biological characteristics and disease associations of IL-11, this review aims to provide a comprehensive theoretical foundation for future research into its role in chronic diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target. ## Linked entities - **Genes:** IL11 (interleukin 11) [NCBI Gene 3589] ## Full-text entities - **Genes:** MTOR (mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase) [NCBI Gene 2475] {aka FRAP, FRAP1, FRAP2, RAFT1, RAPT1, SKS}, CTF2P (cardiotrophin 2, pseudogene) [NCBI Gene 100289419] {aka NP}, MMP3 (matrix metallopeptidase 3) [NCBI Gene 4314] {aka CHDS6, MMP-3, SL-1, STMY, STMY1, STR1}, BCL2 (BCL2 apoptosis regulator) [NCBI Gene 596] {aka Bcl-2, PPP1R50}, CSF3 (colony stimulating factor 3) [NCBI Gene 1440] {aka C17orf33, CSF3OS, GCSF}, TNF (tumor necrosis factor) [NCBI Gene 7124] {aka DIF, IMD127, TNF-alpha, TNFA, TNFSF2, TNLG1F}, MAPK1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 5594] {aka ERK, ERK-2, ERK2, ERT1, MAPK2, NS13}, NPPB (natriuretic peptide B) [NCBI Gene 4879] {aka BNP, Iso-ANP}, Mapk8 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 8) [NCBI Gene 26419] {aka JNK, JNK1, Prkm8, SAPK1}, FGB (fibrinogen beta chain) [NCBI Gene 2244] {aka HEL-S-78p}, STAT3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) [NCBI Gene 6774] {aka ADMIO, ADMIO1, APRF, HIES}, Scgb1a1 (secretoglobin, family 1A, member 1) [NCBI Gene 22287] {aka CC10, CC16, CCSP, PCB-BP, UG, UGB}, STK11 (serine/threonine kinase 11) [NCBI Gene 6794] {aka LKB1, PJS, hLKB1}, Il11 (interleukin 11) [NCBI Gene 16156] {aka IL-11}, AKT1 (AKT serine/threonine kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 207] {aka AKT, PKB, PKB-ALPHA, PRKBA, RAC, RAC-ALPHA}, Tgfb1 (transforming growth factor, beta 1) [NCBI Gene 21803] {aka TGF-beta1, TGFbeta1, Tgfb, Tgfb-1}, IL6 (interleukin 6) [NCBI Gene 3569] {aka BSF-2, BSF2, CDF, HGF, HSF, IFN-beta-2}, GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3) [NCBI Gene 2625] {aka HDR, HDRS}, BMAL1 (basic helix-loop-helix ARNT like 1) [NCBI Gene 406] {aka ARNTL, ARNTL1, BMAL1c, JAP3, MOP3, PASD3}, Il11ra1 (interleukin 11 receptor subunit alpha 1) [NCBI Gene 16157] {aka GP130, Il-11ra, Il11ra, Il11ra2, NR1}, Hif1a (hypoxia inducible factor 1, alpha subunit) [NCBI Gene 15251] {aka HIF-1-alpha, HIF1-alpha, HIF1alpha, MOP1, bHLHe78}, STAT5A (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A) [NCBI Gene 6776] {aka MGF, STAT5}, IL1B (interleukin 1 beta) [NCBI Gene 3553] {aka IL-1, IL1-BETA, IL1F2, IL1beta}, Nlrp3 (NLR family, pyrin domain containing 3) [NCBI Gene 216799] {aka AGTAVPRL, AII/AVP, Cias1, FCAS, FCU, MWS}, NEPNP (nephrocan, pseudogene) [NCBI Gene 442253] {aka NEPN, NPN}, TBX21 (T-box transcription factor 21) [NCBI Gene 30009] {aka IMD88, T-PET, T-bet, TBET, TBLYM}, IL11RA (interleukin 11 receptor subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 3590] {aka CRSDA}, OSM (oncostatin M) [NCBI Gene 5008], KRT8 (keratin 8) [NCBI Gene 3856] {aka CARD2, CK-8, CK8, CYK8, K2C8, K8}, JAK1 (Janus kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 3716] {aka AIIDE, JAK1A, JAK1B, JTK3}, LIF (LIF interleukin 6 family cytokine) [NCBI Gene 3976] {aka CDF, DIA, HILDA, MLPLI}, CD8A (CD8 subunit alpha) [NCBI Gene 925] {aka CD8, CD8alpha, IMD116, Leu2, p32}, PRKAA1 (protein kinase AMP-activated catalytic subunit alpha 1) [NCBI Gene 5562] {aka AMPK, AMPK alpha 1, AMPKa1}, Il33 (interleukin 33) [NCBI Gene 77125] {aka 9230117N10Rik, Il-33, Il1f11, NF-HEV}, CNTF (ciliary neurotrophic factor) [NCBI Gene 1270] {aka HCNTF}, Cd68 (CD68 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12514] {aka Lamp4, Scard1, gp110}, TGFB1 (transforming growth factor beta 1) [NCBI Gene 7040] {aka CAEND1, CED, DPD1, IBDIMDE, LAP, TGF-beta1}, Il6st (interleukin 6 signal transducer) [NCBI Gene 16195] {aka 5133400A03Rik, CD130, D13Ertd699e, gp130}, CASP1 (caspase 1) [NCBI Gene 834] {aka ICE, IL1BC, P45}, Mapk1 (mitogen-activated protein kinase 1) [NCBI Gene 26413] {aka 9030612K14Rik, ERK, Erk2, MAPK2, PRKM2, Prkm1}, JAK2 (Janus kinase 2) [NCBI Gene 3717] {aka JTK10}, CD5L (CD5 molecule like) [NCBI Gene 922] {aka AIM, API6, CT-2, PRO229, SP-ALPHA, Spalpha}, ACTA2 (actin alpha 2, smooth muscle) [NCBI Gene 59] {aka ACTSA, SMDYS}, CLC (Charcot-Leyden crystal galectin) [NCBI Gene 1178] {aka GAL10, Gal-10, LGALS10, LGALS10A, LPPL_HUMAN}, MAP2K7 (mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 7) [NCBI Gene 5609] {aka JNKK2, MAPKK7, MEK, MEK 7, MKK7, PRKMK7}, IL31 (interleukin 31) [NCBI Gene 386653] {aka IL-31}, IL27 (interleukin 27) [NCBI Gene 246778] {aka IL-27, IL-27A, IL27A, IL27p28, IL30, p28}, CD4 (CD4 molecule) [NCBI Gene 920] {aka CD4mut, IMD79, Leu-3, OKT4D, T4}, ACTA1 (actin alpha 1, skeletal muscle) [NCBI Gene 58] {aka ACTA, ASMA, CFTD, CFTD1, CFTDM, CMYO2A}, Stat3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) [NCBI Gene 20848] {aka 1110034C02Rik, Aprf}, RPS6KA1 (ribosomal protein S6 kinase A1) [NCBI Gene 6195] {aka HU-1, MAPKAPK1, MAPKAPK1A, RSK, RSK1, p90Rsk}, JUNB (JunB proto-oncogene, AP-1 transcription factor subunit) [NCBI Gene 3726] {aka AP-1}, PIK3CB (phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit beta) [NCBI Gene 5291] {aka P110BETA, PI3K, PI3KBETA, PIK3C1}, IL12B (interleukin 12B) [NCBI Gene 3593] {aka CLMF, CLMF2, IL-12B, IMD28, IMD29, NKSF}, VWF (von Willebrand factor) [NCBI Gene 7450] {aka F8VWF, VWD}, MMP1 (matrix metallopeptidase 1) [NCBI Gene 4312] {aka CLG}, ZHX2 (zinc fingers and homeoboxes 2) [NCBI Gene 22882] {aka AFR1, RAF}, IL6R (interleukin 6 receptor) [NCBI Gene 3570] {aka CD126, HIES5, IL-1Ra, IL-6R, IL-6R-1, IL-6RA}, STAT1 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 1) [NCBI Gene 6772] {aka CANDF7, IMD31A, IMD31B, IMD31C, ISGF-3, STAT91}, Cd4 (CD4 antigen) [NCBI Gene 12504] {aka L3T4, Ly-4} - **Diseases:** asthmatics (MESH:D013224), Respiratory diseases (MESH:D012140), death (MESH:D003643), hypertension (MESH:D006973), PAH (MESH:D000081029), bronchiectasis (MESH:D001987), viral myocarditis (MESH:D014777), colorectal cancer (MESH:D015179), renovascular hypertension (MESH:D006978), AS (MESH:D009394), chronic inflammation (MESH:D007249), arthritis (MESH:D001168), osteosarcoma (MESH:D012516), fibrotic conditions (MESH:D020763), Liver diseases (MESH:D008107), hypertensive nephrosclerosis (MESH:D009400), anemia (MESH:D000740), fibrotic diseases (MESH:D004194), cardiovascular, respiratory, and neurodegenerative diseases (MESH:D019636), bone metastasis (MESH:D009362), reperfusion injury (MESH:D015427), cardiac, renal, and hepatic fibrosis (MESH:D005355), RA (MESH:D001172), prostate cancer (MESH:D011471), craniofacial abnormalities (MESH:D019465), HF (MESH:D008103), reduction in bone mass (MESH:D001847), kidney stones (MESH:D007669), pulmonary artery (MESH:D000071079), insulin resistance (MESH:D007333), eosinophilia (MESH:D004802), edema (MESH:D004487), chronic kidney disease (MESH:D051436), asthma (MESH:D001249), CP (MESH:D050500), IPF (MESH:D054990), NAFLD (MESH:D065626), dyspnea (MESH:D004417), neurotoxicity (MESH:D020258), Cardiovascular diseases (MESH:D002318), lung cancer (MESH:D008175), infections (MESH:D007239), TAO (MESH:D049970), CD (MESH:D003424), renal failure (MESH:D051437), PDR (OMIM:603933), AD (MESH:D000544), CI (MESH:D002544), Cancer (MESH:D009369), Endocrine diseases (MESH:D004700), AH (MESH:D006519), DR (MESH:D003930), immune abnormalities (MESH:D007154), end-stage kidney disease (MESH:D007676), lung diseases (MESH:D008171), diabetes (MESH:D003920), thrombocytopenia (MESH:D013921), ventricular remodeling (MESH:D020257), nephritis (MESH:D009393), COPD (MESH:D029424) - **Chemicals:** sodium (MESH:D012964), APAP (MESH:D000082), platinum (MESH:D010984), cisplatin (MESH:D002945), CGRRAGGSC (-), micheliolide (MESH:C577928), tyrosine (MESH:D014443), NO (MESH:D009569), creatinine (MESH:D003404), ethanol (MESH:D000431), ROS (MESH:D017382), LY2784544 (MESH:C581039), gemcitabine (MESH:D000093542), Bleomycin (MESH:D001761), BMTP-11 (MESH:C000601739) - **Species:** Homo sapiens (human, species) [taxon 9606], Rattus norvegicus (brown rat, species) [taxon 10116], Mus musculus (house mouse, species) [taxon 10090] - **Cell lines:** T1165 — Mus musculus (Mouse), Mouse plasmacytoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_6731), LO-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Amelanotic melanoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_C7SD), Pu-34 — Canis lupus familiaris (Dog), Canine oral melanoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0C75), A549 — Homo sapiens (Human), Lung adenocarcinoma, Cancer cell line (CVCL_0023), LX-2 — Homo sapiens (Human), Transformed cell line (CVCL_5792), fibroblasts — Mus musculus (Mouse), Spontaneously immortalized cell line (CVCL_0594) ## Full text _Full body text omitted from this summary view._ Fetch the complete paper as Markdown: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12956725/full.md ## Figures 3 figures with captions in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12956725/full.md ## References 148 references — full list in the complete paper: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12956725/full.md --- Source: https://tomesphere.com/paper/PMC12956725