PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain the subject agent capable of more strongly differentiating a nervous precursor cell into nervous cell such as astrocyte, compared with case when a mixture of a specific interleukin with the receptor in which these both components are not fused is used by including a fusion protein of the specific interleukin with the receptor as an active ingredient.SOLUTION: This agent contains a fusion protein of interleukin-6 (IL-6) with interleukin-6 receptor (IL-6R) as an active ingredient. It is preferable that the protein is a fusion protein in which IL-6 is directly bonded to IL-6R. The protein is obtained by integrating a gene encoding the protein into an expression vector, introducing the integrated protein into a host such as yeast, etc., of Pichia pastoris, culturing the transformed host and purifying the protein from the culturing supernatant, etc. The daily dose of the agent is generally 1-500 &mug/kg.COPYRIGHT: (C)2000,JPO【課題】gp130蛋白質を刺激することにより、神経前駆細胞をアストロサイト等の神経系細胞に分化させる分化促進剤であって、IL-6RとIL-6を共存させた場合に比較してより強力な分化促進効果を奏する分化促進剤を提供することにある。また本願発明の他の目的は、かかる強力な分化促進剤を用いて神経前駆細胞を神経系細胞に分化させる分化促進方法を提供すること。【解決手段】インターロイキン-6レセプターとインターロイキン-6の融合蛋白質を有効成分として含む、神経前駆細胞の神経系細胞への分化促進剤。
