IL6 and systemic lupus erythematosus: Both monocytes and macrophages are phenotypically altered in SLE, with SLE macrophages demonstrated to have reduced uptake of apoptotic cells, enhanced activatory status, an altered skew of proinflammatory and anti-inflammatory macrophages and an overproduction of inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and antiviral type I interferons (IFNs) (Figure 1) [3–5].