Which genes are involved in the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway?

Key genes involved in the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway include IL6, IL6R, JAK1, JAK2, TYK2, STAT3, SOCS3, and downstream transcriptional targets such as VEGF and MMPs.

How does IL6 activate STAT3 signaling?

IL6 binds to its receptor complex composed of IL6R and gp130, leading to activation of JAK kinases that phosphorylate STAT3, allowing STAT3 to dimerize and translocate to the nucleus.

How can IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway activity be analyzed?

IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway activity can be analyzed by measuring gene expression of pathway regulators and downstream STAT3 target genes using targeted gene expression approaches such as qPCR pathway arrays.

IL6 STAT3 Signaling Pathway – Biomarkers & Gene Expression

Q: What is the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway?

The IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway is a cytokine-driven signaling cascade that links interleukin-6 receptor activation to STAT3-dependent gene transcription, regulating inflammation, immune responses, cell survival, and proliferation.

Q: Why is the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway important in cancer?

Persistent activation of the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway promotes tumor growth, angiogenesis, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy, making it a major target in cancer research.

What is the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway?

The IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway is a cytokine-driven signaling cascade that plays a central role in inflammation, immune regulation, cell survival, and proliferation. It is activated when interleukin-6 (IL-6) binds to its receptor complex, leading to JAK-mediated phosphorylation of STAT3 and transcriptional regulation of downstream target genes.

This pathway is essential for normal immune responses and tissue repair. However, persistent activation of IL6 STAT3 signaling is strongly associated with chronic inflammatory diseases, cancer progression, immune evasion, and resistance to therapy.

IL6 STAT3 pathway activity can be efficiently assessed by measuring gene expression of pathway regulators and STAT3-dependent biomarkers.

IL6 STAT3 signaling biomarker list
View the genes included in our IL6 STAT3 qPCR arrays.

Signalling downstream of the IL-6 receptor.

Key takeaways

Central mediator of cytokine-driven inflammation
Direct link between IL-6 signaling and STAT3 activation
Major driver of tumor growth and immune dysregulation
Integrates signals from JAK, PI3K/AKT and NF-κB pathways
Highly suitable for biomarker discovery and gene expression profiling

Core components of the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway

IL-6

A pleiotropic cytokine involved in immune activation, acute-phase responses, and tissue regeneration. Dysregulated IL-6 production sustains chronic inflammation and tumor-promoting environments.

JAK kinases

JAK1, JAK2, and TYK2 phosphorylate STAT3 following IL-6 receptor engagement.

STAT3

A transcription factor that controls genes involved in survival, proliferation, angiogenesis, immune suppression, and metastasis.

Negative regulators

SOCS proteins and phosphatases limit signal duration and intensity.

Mechanism of IL6 STAT3 signaling

IL-6 binds to IL-6R / gp130 receptor complex
JAK kinases are activated
STAT3 is phosphorylated and dimerizes
STAT3 translocates to the nucleus
Transcription of inflammation- and cancer-related genes

IL6 STAT3 signaling interacts with PI3K/AKT, NF-κB, MAPK, and mTOR pathways, amplifying disease-relevant responses.

Biological functions

The IL6 STAT3 pathway regulates:

- Inflammatory cytokine production
- Immune cell activation and balance
- Cell survival and apoptosis resistance
- Angiogenesis and tissue remodeling
- Tumor growth and immune escape

IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway in disease

Cancer

Persistent STAT3 activation promotes:
Tumor cell proliferation
Angiogenesis (e.g. VEGF expression)
Immune suppression
Resistance to targeted therapies

Autoimmune and inflammatory diseases

Chronic IL6 STAT3 signaling contributes to:

Rheumatoid arthritis
Lupus
Psoriasis
Inflammatory bowel disease

Metabolic and cardiovascular diseases

STAT3-driven inflammation is linked to insulin resistance, obesity, and vascular dysfunction.

Therapeutic targeting and biomarker relevance

The IL6 STAT3 pathway is a major therapeutic target:

Anti-IL-6 and anti-IL-6R antibodies
JAK inhibitors
STAT3 pathway inhibitors

Gene expression–based biomarker analysis is essential for patient stratification and treatment monitoring.

Why study the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway with AnyGenes?

At AnyGenes®, we provide high-performance qPCR arrays and customizable SignArrays® designed for IL6 STAT3 pathway analysis.

Our solutions enable researchers to:

Quantify IL6 STAT3 gene expression signatures
Analyze downstream STAT3 transcriptional targets
Study pathway cross-talk with inflammation and cancer pathways
Generate robust, publication-ready data

IL6 STAT3 biomarker analysis with AnyGenes®

What can be analyzed?

IL6, IL6R, gp130
JAK kinases and STAT3
STAT3 target genes (SOCS3, VEGF, MMPs)
Inflammation- and cancer-associated biomarkers

Customize your own signaling pathways (SignArrays^®) with the factors of your choice!
Simply download and complete our Personalized SignArrays^® information file and send it at [email protected] to get started on your project.

Frequently asked questions

What is the IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway?

It is a cytokine-driven pathway linking IL-6 receptor activation to STAT3-dependent gene transcription involved in inflammation, immunity, and cancer.

Why is IL6 STAT3 signaling important in cancer?

Persistent STAT3 activation promotes tumor growth, angiogenesis, immune evasion, and therapy resistance.

Which genes are involved in IL6 STAT3 signaling?

Key genes include IL6, IL6R, JAK1/2, STAT3, SOCS3, and STAT3 downstream targets.

How can IL6 STAT3 signaling be analyzed?

By measuring expression of pathway regulators and downstream genes using targeted qPCR pathway arrays.

Kang S, et al. Targeting Interleukin-6 Signaling in Clinic. Immunity. (2019) 16;50(4):1007-1023.
Song Z, et al. Molecular cross-talk of IL-6 in tumors and new progress in combined therapy. Thorac Cancer. (2018);9(6):669-675.
Galoczova M, et al. STAT3, stem cells, cancer stem cells and p63. Cell Mol Biol Lett. (2018)22;23:12.
Johnson DE, et al. Targeting the IL-6/JAK/STAT3 signalling axis in cancer. Nat Rev Clin Oncol. (2018);15(4):234-248.
Yan Lin et al. Progress in Understanding the IL-6/STAT3 Pathway in Colorectal Cancer. Onco Targets Ther. (2020)21;13:13023-13032.
Moshapa FT, et al. Therapeutic Targeting of the Proinflammatory IL-6-JAK/STAT Signalling Pathways Responsible for Vascular Restenosis in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Cardiol Res Pract. (2019)2;2019:9846312.
Liu Y, et al. STAT3 and its targeting inhibitors in osteosarcoma. Cell Prolif. (2021);54(2):e12974.
Kasembeli MM, et al. Contribution of STAT3 to Inflammatory and Fibrotic Diseases and Prospects for its Targeting for Treatment. Int J Mol Sci. (2018)5;19(8):2299.
Mohrherr J, et al. STAT3: Versatile Functions in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancers (Basel). (2020)29;12(5):1107.

IL6 STAT3 signaling pathway biomarker list

You can check the biomarker list included in this pathway, see below:

Species : Homo sapiens (human)

Human Signaling Pathways

Signaling Pathways	Product ref	Informations
IL6-STAT3 Signaling Pathway	IL61H1	List infos

Species : Mus musculus (mouse)

Mouse Signaling Pathways

Signaling Pathways	Product ref	Informations
IL6-STAT3 Signaling Pathway	IL61M1	List infos

Species : Rattus norvegicus (rat)

Rat Signaling Pathways

Signaling Pathways	Product ref	Informations
IL6-STAT3 Signaling Pathway	*******	List In progress...

Species : Sus Scrofa (Pig)

Pig IL6-STAT3 Signaling Pathway

Signaling Pathways	Product ref	Informations
IL6-STAT3 Signaling Pathway	*******	List In progress...

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