IL6 and disease of the tendon: In particular, the expression by tenocytes and other peritendinous tissues of several proinflammatory and antiinflammatory cytokines, have been linked to tendinopathy, such as tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), IL-1β, IL-6, IL-10, VEGF, TGF-b, cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX-2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) [9, 13, 14].