Analysis of local production of proteins in colon explants showed expression of CCL3, CXCL10, IFN-γ, IL-17, IL-1α and IL-1β all had similar expression patterns compared to gene expression in adjacent tissue (increased expression with Hb infection and a dose-dependent decreased expression with anti-IL-7Rα M595 treatment) (Additional file 3: Table S1). This evidence concerns the gene IL7R and infection.