IL6 and atherosclerosis: In order to review the available evidence on the direct or indirect, mediated by adenosine, AICAR or AMPK activation, effects of methotrexate on proatherosclerotic cytokines, a PubMed literature search was conducted from inception to June 2017, using the following terms: methotrexate, adenosine, AICAR, AMPK, endothelium, inflammation, atherosclerosis, TNF-α, IL-1, and IL-6.