In Itgam−/− (αM deficient) mice, tumor growth and immunosuppressive cytokine mRNA levels are enhanced relative to wild type mice, whereas constitutive activation of the αM integrin by a point mutation knock in (C57BL/6 ITGA-M I332G) inhibits tumor growth, despite increased IL-6 mRNA levels (83). Here, IL6 is linked to neoplasm.