In Silico Investigation of IL-6 and IL-10 Signaling in Steatosis

This paper develops a model for IL-6 and IL-10 signal transduction in order to investigate the effect that stimulation with these cytokines has on the activity of the transcription factors STAT3 and C/EBPb. In an initial step, a previously developed model for IL-6 signaling is updated as some of the model parameters are re-estimated based upon newly developed experimental data for the Jak-STAT pathway. Furthermore, the Erk-C/EBPb pathway is extended in the model to also include the dynamics of the activated transcription factor C/EBPb in the nucleus. Since IL-10 signals through the Jak-STAT but not the Erk-C/EBPb pathway, a model for its signal transduction was developed which includes interactions between IL-6 and IL-10 signaling as both mechanisms share signal transduction though the Jak-STAT pathway. It is investigated how different stimulation levels of IL-6 and IL-10 affect the ratio of the activity of Jak-STAT and Erk-C/EBPb.