CXCL8 and ischemia: The role in cardiovascular disease is supported by the demonstration that myocardial ischemia and reperfusion strongly increase IL-8 mRNA expression, which determines leukostasis and PMNs-mediated myocardial injury (67), and by the observation that inhibiting IL-8 with a monoclonal antibody protects the myocardium from the injury of ischemia–reperfusion, as seen in a New Zealand White (NZW) mouse model (68).