IL-6 mediates its pleiotropic functions through two membrane proteins, a ligand-binding molecule (IL-6 receptor, IL-6R) and a non-ligand-binding signal transducer (gp130). Starting with a previously isolated cDNA clone encoding human gp130, recombinant soluble gp130 (sgp130) lacking the transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions was expressed in COS7 cells or CHO cells. sgp130 could associate with a complex of IL-6 and soluble IL-6R (sIL-6R), also lacking transmembrane and cytoplasmic regions. This indicated that extracellular region of gp130 was responsible for the association with IL-6R which was occupied by IL-6. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the quantitation of sgp130 was established, which was based on the interaction of sgp130 with the complex of IL-6 and SIL-6R and could detect sgp130 as low as 1 ng/ml.