Prevention of murine experimental autoimmune orchitis by recombinant human interleukin-6.

We studied the effect of exogenously administered recombinant human interleukin (IL)-6 on the development of experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO) in C3H/Hej mice. IL-6 significantly reduced histological signs of EAO and appearance of delayed type hypersensitivity against the immunizing testicular germinal cells. The effect was seen even though the cytokine was administered for only 6 consecutive days and 2 weeks after immunization.