Interleukin‐6 and interferon‐alpha differentially regulate microglia function

Previous reports have shown that IL‐6 and IFN‐⍺ induce distinct transcriptomic and morphological changes in microglia. Here, we demonstrate that IL‐6 increases tissue surveillance, migration and phagocytosis in primary murine microglia, whereas IFN‐⍺ inhibits these functions. Our results provide a crucial link between transcriptome and function. It holds the potential to serve as the foundation for future studies aimed at identifying therapeutic targets for cytokine‐mediated neuroinflammatory diseases.