Description
The association between chronic inflammation and the development and progression of malignancy is exemplified in the biliary tract where persistent inflammation strongly predisposes to cholangiocarcinoma. The inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6) enhances tumor growth in cholangiocarcinoma by altered gene expression via autocrine mechanisms. We therefore investigated the effect of chronic exposure to IL-6 on gene expression using malignant cholangiocytes stably transfected to overexpress IL-6. Comparison of gene expression identified several genes that were altered by enforced IL-6 expression.