IL6 and cancer: Some of the changes in DNMT1 activity may result from phosphorylation of the enzyme following exposure to IL-6, and the subsequent activation of downstream signaling pathways such as the AKT pathway.95 While most of the initial findings linking cytokines to epigenetic effects stem from experiments with cancer cell lines, it is likely that IL-6 regulates DNMT1 in several distinct cell types, including neurons and other brain cells.