Similarly, in chronic hepatitis C, persistent viral replication and immune-mediated injury lead to oxidative stress and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which further drive HSC activation and fibrogenesis. Here, IL6 is linked to chronic hepatitis C virus infection.