- The interleukin-6 promoter polymorphism is associated with elevated leukocyte, lymphocyte, and monocyte counts and reduced physical fitness in young healthy smokers. Ortlepp, J.R., Metrikat, J., Vesper, K., Mevissen, V., Schmitz, F., Albrecht, M., Maya-Pelzer, P., Hanrath, P., Weber, C., Zerres, K., Hoffmann, R. J. Mol. Med. (2003)