IL6 and periodontitis: The inflammatory theory holds that in the course of periodontitis, gingival cells produce inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α, IL-6, PGE-2, and MMPs that locally promote tissue destruction and, once in the circulation, stimulate endothelial cells to produce other mediators such as monocyte chemotactic protein (MCP-1), macrophage colony stimulating factor (MCSF), intercellular adhesion molecule (I-CAM), vascular cell adhesion molecule (V-CAM), P-selectin, and E-selectin.