TNF and sexually transmitted disease: A recent meta-analysis showed that moderate to high elevations in blood levels of IL6 and TNF-α were associated with a diagnosis of VD and that for each unit increase in IL-6 levels, the risk of VD increased by 28%.[53] TNF-α is a key mediator of neuroinflammation and can induce enhanced pro-apoptotic responses in combination with other pro-inflammatory cytokines in an inflammatory environment.