IL6 and Stroke: Although no significant changes in pro-inflammatory cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α) and chemokine (MCP-1, MIP-2α) gene expression were observed at 6 h, 24 h and 72 h after the 50 min ischemic occlusion, IL-1β, IL-6 and MIP-2α expression tended to increase 6 h after stroke.