IL6 and myelodysplastic syndrome: Regarding molecules that are implicated with MDS, we have shown that the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and the growth-promoting cytokines VEGF and SDF-1, frequently over-expressed in patient marrow, were normal in culture supernatants [62], although IL-6 and IL-1β were found increased by others [61, 67].