Using both clinical samples and a rodent model, we hypothesised that a) patients with early schizophrenia would have higher NETs and IL-6 compared to both their unaffected siblings and controls; b) higher NETs and IL-6 would occur particularly in identified clusters of patients with a history of childhood maltreatment; and c) rodents exposed to adolescent stress would display higher NETs and IL-6 levels in serum together with higher release of NETs from neutrophils isolated from the bone marrow compared to non-stressed rats. The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is schizophrenia.