IL6 and necrotizing enterocolitis: NEC diagnosis was supported by analyses of tissue pro-inflammatory cytokines [28], which revealed significant increases in IL-1β and IL-6 expression in the distal small intestine of Si-NEC animals (both p < 0.001), and elevations in IL-1β and IL-8 levels in the colon of Co-NEC animals (p < 0.01, p = 0.07, respectively, Fig. 1e).