IL6 and atherosclerosis: In particular, the pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-6 (IL-6), which is primarily produced by macrophages and T cells, has been noted as a key driver of plaque destabilization, atheroprogression, and the production of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), leading to the development and progression of clinical atherosclerosis [6, 10–12].