IL6 and autoimmune disease: A critical role for IL-17, a cytokine produced by T helper 17 (Th17) cells, has been indicated in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. IL-17 signaling induces the production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, G-CSF, GM-CSF, and TNF) and chemokines (CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL5, CCL2, CCL7, CCL20, and IL-8), matrix metalloproteinases (MMP1, MMP3, MMP9, and MMP13), and anti-microbial peptides (β-defensins, S-100 proteins) [26].