Interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 are key SARS-CoV-induced epithelial cytokines capable of inhibiting the T-cell-priming ability of dendritic cells, a cellular element of the host innate defenses against respiratory infections, leading to an exacerbated inflammatory cascades and severe tissue damage in SARS patients [33]. Here, IL6 is linked to severe acute respiratory syndrome.