CXCL8 and rheumatoid arthritis: However, with a chronic persistent inflammatory stimulus such as cigarette smoking, it could promote proliferation of structural cells such as fibroblasts and their production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-8, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and transforming growth factor alpha (TGF-α) with augmented expression in chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis [50].