IL6 and idiopathic aplastic anemia: Feng et al. [13] found increased plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), interleukin 6 (IL-6), CCL3, interleukin 1 receptor α (IL-1ra), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), and CCL4 in MDS compared to patients with aplastic anemia (AA) and healthy controls.