IL11 Gene - Interleukin 11
A pleiotropic cytokine involved in hematopoiesis, inflammation, and bone metabolism, with emerging roles in cancer and fibrosis.
Gene Information Card
| Symbol | IL11 |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Interleukin 11 |
| Gene Type | Protein Coding |
| Chromosomal Location | 19q13.42 |
| NCBI Gene ID | 3589 ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/gene/3589 |
| Ensembl ID | ENSG00000095752 |
| UniProt ID | P20809 |
| OMIM ID | 147681 |
| HGNC ID | 5966 |
| Aliases | AGIF, IL-11, OPR1 |
Description
The IL11 gene encodes a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines. This secreted protein plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, including hematopoiesis (particularly megakaryocytopoiesis and platelet production), immune response regulation, bone metabolism, and tissue remodeling. IL11 signaling is mediated through a receptor complex consisting of the IL11RA subunit and the shared signal transducer gp130, leading to activation of the JAK/STAT and MAPK pathways. Dysregulation of IL11 signaling has been implicated in several pathological conditions, including inflammatory diseases, fibrosis, and various cancers.
Disease Associations
| Disease category | Pathophysiological mechanism | Genomic evidence |
|---|---|---|
| Rheumatoid Arthritis | IL11 is elevated in the synovial fluid of RA patients and may contribute to the inflammatory process and bone erosion. | PMID: 12847284; PMID: 10543521 |
| Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) | Increased IL11 expression is observed in the inflamed intestinal mucosa of IBD patients, potentially playing a role in mucosal healing and fibrosis. | PMID: 10648418; PMID: 11485740 |
| Fibrosis (Pulmonary, Renal, Hepatic) | IL11 has been identified as a key pro-fibrotic factor. It promotes the activation of myofibroblasts and extracellular matrix deposition in various tissues. | PMID: 28846097; PMID: 30013109 |
| Colorectal Cancer | IL11 signaling via STAT3 is implicated in tumor growth and metastasis. Elevated IL11 expression is associated with poor prognosis. | PMID: 23563180; PMID: 24441736 |
| Gastric Cancer | IL11 is overexpressed in gastric cancer and promotes tumorigenesis through activation of STAT3 and downstream anti-apoptotic and proliferative genes. | PMID: 27036971; PMID: 28945219 |
| Breast Cancer | IL11 has been shown to promote osteolytic bone metastasis by enhancing osteoclast activity and tumor cell survival in the bone microenvironment. | PMID: 11313999; PMID: 21746814 |
Expression Profile
Tissue Expression
| Tissue | nTPM | level |
|---|---|---|
| Salivary Gland | 13.2 | Medium |
| Bone Marrow | 8.7 | Low |
| Lung | 6.5 | Low |
| Spleen | 5.9 | Low |
| Thyroid Gland | 5.1 | Low |
| Adipose Tissue | 4.8 | Low |
| Colon | 3.2 | Low |
| Kidney | 2.9 | Low |
| Liver | 1.5 | Not detected |
| Brain | 0.8 | Not detected |
Cell Line Expression
| Cell Line | nTPM | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| BJ (fibroblast) | 8.2 | Basal expression; inducible by inflammatory stimuli |
| HUVEC (endothelial) | 6.1 | Expression increased upon IL-1/TNF stimulation |
| A549 (lung carcinoma) | 4.5 | Expression can be induced by TGF-beta |
| MCF-7 (breast carcinoma) | 2.8 | Low basal expression |
| K-562 (leukemia) | 1.9 | Low expression |
| HepG2 (hepatocellular carcinoma) | 1.2 | Very low expression |
Data source：Human Protein Atlas（proteinatlas.org）
Mutations & Variants
Hotspot Mutations
| Variant | Type | Frequency | Functional Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| c.337C>T (p.Arg113Trp) | Missense | Rare (<0.01%) | Predicted to be damaging; may affect protein structure and receptor binding. |
| c.458G>A (p.Arg153His) | Missense | Rare (<0.01%) | Located in a conserved region; potential impact on protein stability. |
| c.3G>A (p.Met1Ile) | Start Loss | Very rare | Likely results in loss of protein function due to translation initiation failure. |
| c.IVS2+1G>A | Splice Site | Very rare | Predicted to disrupt splicing, potentially leading to a non-functional protein. |
Mutation functional classification
Loss of Function (LOF)
Loss-of-function mutations in IL11 are rare. They are predicted to impair the cytokine's ability to bind to its receptor (IL11RA) or disrupt proper folding/secretion, leading to reduced or absent signaling. This could potentially affect hematopoiesis and immune responses, though the clinical phenotype is not well-defined.
Gain of Function (GOF)
Gain-of-function mutations in IL11 are not well-documented. However, overexpression of the wild-type gene, often driven by inflammatory signals or tumor microenvironments, acts as a functional gain-of-function, promoting fibrosis and tumorigenesis.
Dominant Negative (DN)
No dominant-negative mutations have been reported for IL11. Since IL11 functions as a soluble ligand, a dominant-negative effect would require a mutant protein that can bind to the receptor but fails to activate it, thereby blocking the action of the wild-type cytokine. Such variants have not been identified.
View complete mutation data：
Gene Ontology (GO)
| • cytokine activity | • interleukin-11 receptor binding |
| • growth factor activity | • extracellular space |
| • immune response | • positive regulation of cell proliferation |
| • positive regulation of JAK-STAT cascade | • megakaryocyte differentiation |
| • osteoclast differentiation | • positive regulation of MAPK cascade |
Pathways
• IL-6 family signaling
• JAK-STAT signaling pathway
• MAPK signaling pathway
• Cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction
• Hematopoietic cell lineage
Protein Summary
Interleukin-11 (IL-11) is a secreted, 199-amino acid protein (approximately 19 kDa) that belongs to the IL-6 cytokine family. It adopts a four-helix bundle structure typical of this family. IL-11 exerts its biological effects by binding to the specific IL-11 receptor alpha subunit (IL11RA) and the common signal-transducing subunit gp130 (IL6ST). This complex formation activates intracellular signaling cascades, primarily the JAK/STAT3 pathway, but also the MAPK and PI3K/AKT pathways. IL-11 is a pleiotropic cytokine with key roles in hematopoiesis, particularly stimulating megakaryocyte maturation and platelet production. It also modulates the immune response, influences bone remodeling by regulating osteoclasts and osteoblasts, and is a critical mediator of tissue fibrosis. In cancer, IL-11 signaling can promote tumor cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis.
Related Services
Related Products
| Product name | Cat.No. | Species | Gene ID | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IL11 Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ479 | Human | 3589 | Details Get a Quote |
| IL11 Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ18790 | Human | 3589 | Details Get a Quote |
| IL11 Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ18791 | Human | 3589 | Details Get a Quote |
| IL11RA Knockout HEK293 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ50391 | Human | 3590 | Details Get a Quote |
| IL11RA Knockout HeLa Cell Line | EDJ-KQ53646 | Human | 3590 | Details Get a Quote |
| IL11RA Knockout A-549 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ62122 | Human | 3590 | Details Get a Quote |
| IL11 Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ70610 | Human | 3589 | Details Get a Quote |
| IL11RA Knockout HCT 116 Cell Line | EDJ-KQ70611 | Human | 3590 | Details Get a Quote |
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