Utilizing animal models of CKD and AKI where serum IL-6, sIL-6R and FGF23 levels were significantly elevated, Durlacher-Betzer et al. showed that mice with global deletion of IL-6 displayed reduced levels of serum FGF23 in comparison to control mice, thus exhibiting IL-6 as a potent mediator of FGF23 [180]. Here, FGF23 is linked to chronic kidney disease.