IL6R and asthma: Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have also reported that the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2228145 (Asp358Ala)—a variant in IL6R that increases IL-6R shedding and promotes IL-6 trans-signaling—is associated with asthma prevalence, asthma severity, and lower pulmonary function (5, 6).