Proposed model of the role of Osx to prevent IL-6 production and an impairment of tissue regeneration.

<p>Persistent low level of Osx in bone accelerates the expression levels of various pro-inflammatory cytokines and leads to inflammatory-prone state of the body. In particular, reduced levels of Osx in osteoblasts fail to prevent IL-6 transcription, resulting in the accelerated production and secretion of IL-6, a key pro-inflammatory cytokine that mediates chronic inflammation. Finally, an inflammatory-prone state makes the kidneys more susceptible to injury, and delay to repair damaged cells. Thus, Osx, a negative regulator of IL-6 expression in osteoblasts, is important to prevent the establishment of an inflammatory-prone state and to regulate physiological homeostasis.