IL6 and inflammatory bowel disease: However, in IBD, an imbalance in macrophage polarization disrupts this equilibrium: pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages dominate, driving excessive cytokine production (e.g., TNF-α, IL-6) and compromising the intestinal barrier, while anti-inflammatory M2 macrophages, which promote resolution and repair, are depleted (2, 3, 10, 20).