Using two animal models of ARF in mice, the inventors have established a critical role for IL-6 and gp130 signaling in two apparently opposing functions inherent to ARF. The inventors demonstrated that activation of gp130 trans-signaling by the administration of HYPER-IL-6, a chimeric protein, constructed from the human IL-6 protein fused to a truncated form of its receptor, prevents the onset of ARF and enhances survival.
