# Role of IL-6 trans signaling in atherosclerosis development and late-stage pathogenesis

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA · 2024 · $789,754

## Abstract

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease whose clinical complications, including myocardial infarction (MI)
and stroke, are the leading causes of death worldwide. Given the compelling evidence that inflammation plays a key
role in development of atherosclerosis, the expectation was that lipid lowering, combined with global suppression of
inflammation, would markedly reduce late-stage disease complications. The CANTOS clinical trial testing an
IL1 antibody, Canakinumab, provided compelling evidence validating the inflammation hypothesis. However, the
drug failed to get FDA approval due to it having modest beneficial effects including no reduction in cardiovascular
death (CVD) but a 40% increase in death due to lethal infection. The reasons for the disappointing results of CANTOS
are complex but likely were due in part to IL1β antibody treatment inhibiting not only detrimental pro-inflammatory
responses, but also evolutionarily conserved beneficial inflammatory processes necessary for injury-repair including
formation and maintenance of the ACTA2+ fibrous cap. Consistent with this possibility, we (Gomez et al., 2018 Nature
Medicine) previously showed that IL1 receptor signaling in smooth muscle cells (SMC) is required for their investment
and retention in the protective fibrous cap, and that treatment of SMC lineage tracing Apoe-/- mice with advanced
lesions for 8-weeks with a murine IL1 antibody resulted in multiple detrimental effects including a >50% reduction in
SMC number and collagen content within the fibrous cap. Our study is just one of many examples illustrating how
pro-inflammatory signaling may have beneficial or detrimental effects on the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. As
such, there is a need to identify more nuanced approaches for inhibiting the adverse effects of chronic inflammation
without eliminating beneficial functions essential for tissue repair, immune resistance to pathogens, and inflammation
resolution. Studies in this proposal will test the hypothesis that selective inhibition of interleukin 6 (IL-6) trans signaling
alone, rather than inhibition of both trans and classic IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) signaling, is not only preferred to avoid
immuno-deficiencies, but is also required to see optimal atherosclerosis-protective effects because of offsetting
beneficial effects of inhibiting IL-6 trans signaling versus detrimental effects of inhibiting classical IL-6R signaling. We
will test this hypothesis as follows. Aim 1 will determine if IL-6 and IL-6R neutralizing antibodies, which inhibit both
IL-6 classic and trans signaling, versus the IL6/sIL-6R trap sgp130Fc, which selectively inhibits only IL-6 trans
signaling, differentially alter lesion development or pathogenesis including cell-matrix composition and indices of
stability. We will do prevention and late stage intervention studies in our novel SMC-endothelial cell (EC) dual lineage
tracing Apoe-/-mice, as well as our novel delta CT Ldlr-/-mice which develop adv...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10824437
- **Project number:** 5R01HL164367-02
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Gary K Owens
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $789,754
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-04-15 → 2027-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10824437

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10824437, Role of IL-6 trans signaling in atherosclerosis development and late-stage pathogenesis (5R01HL164367-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10824437. Licensed CC0.

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