IL6 and familial dilated cardiomyopathy: Upregulation of IL-6 mRNA levels in myocardial tissues was observed in DCM mice, as reported by Li et al. Following IL-6 knockdown in DCM mice, myocardial apoptosis and cardiac remodelling were suppressed, as was the production of fibrosis indicators such as collagen type (COL)1-A1 and collagen type (COL)III-A1.