IL6 and Stroke: Localized cerebral ischemia (MCAO) triggers dynamic and widespread activation of inflammatory factors (including cytokines, chemokines, and chemokine receptors) in the peripheral immune system after stroke, with increased production of IL-6, IL-2, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and CCL2 in splenic and circulatory immune cells (Offner et al., 2006).