A rat model of RHD induced by pulmonary artery trunk banding has shown that although fibroblasts are involved in the inflammatory response to cardiac insult in RHD, cardiomyocytes also contribute to this inflammatory status via the activation of biomarkers such as the NLRP3 (nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich-containing family, pyrin domain-containing-3 inflammasome), interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-1β.113. Here, IL6 is linked to rheumatic heart disease.