Use of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-11 to reverse HIV-1gp120 repression of a natural killer cell line

► HIV-1 gp120 represses IFN-γ secretion and cytotoxicity of the NK cell line NK-92MI. ► IL-11 activates STAT-3 in NK-92MI cells. ► Activation of STAT-3 by IL-11 stimulates NK-92MI IFN-γ and Bcl-XL production. ► IL-11 restores IFN-γ production and cytotoxicity to gp120-impaired NK-92MI cells.