Furthermore, infection of brain and retinal pericytes in vitro was found to induce the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, including interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, RANTES, macrophage inflammatory protein 1α (MIP-1α) and interferon-inducible T-cell alpha chemoattractant (I-TAC), suggesting that pericyte infection may contribute to HCMV-associated neuroinflammation and retinal dysfunction, and hence loss of vision and cognitive impairment in neonates [23, 24]. Here, IL6 is linked to infection.