IL6 and periodontitis: Given that activated B cells promote osteoclastogenesis, their upregulation contributes to the development of periodontitis by producing numerous osteoclastogenic cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 alpha (MIP-1α), and Monocyte chemoattractant protein 3 (MCP-3) (Choi et al., 2001).