Rabbit Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a multifunctional pro-inflammatory cytokine and a central member of the IL-6 cytokine family—including IL-6, IL-11, IL-27, IL-31, leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), oncostatin M (OSM), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF), cardiotrophin-1 (CT-1), and cardiotrophin-like cytokine factor 1 (CLCF1)—which signal through receptor complexes containing the shared gp130 subunit to activate JAK/STAT and MAPK pathways. In rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), IL-6 is produced by macrophages, monocytes, endothelial cells, and fibroblasts in response to infection, tissue injury, and immune stimulation, where it regulates acute-phase protein production, fever, leukocyte recruitment, and B- and T-cell differentiation. Elevated IL-6 expression is observed in response to bacterial infections (such as Pasteurella multocida), viral diseases including rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), parasitic infections, and inflammatory conditions, contributing to systemic inflammation and disease severity. Rabbits are also widely used as translational models for atherosclerosis, ophthalmic disease, osteoarthritis, and vaccine development, where IL-6 plays a role in inflammatory signaling and tissue pathology. As both a biomarker and a mediator of immune activation, rabbit IL-6 is important in veterinary health monitoring and in biomedical research focused on host-pathogen interactions, chronic inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and evaluation of immunomodulatory therapies.