A number of metalloproteases have been shown to cleave, activate, and in some cases degrade IL-1β.35–37Adamdec1-/- mice display an exaggerated level of serum IL-1β and the downstream cytokine IL-6 during both chemical and bacterial induced colitis, which would suggest that Adamdec1 may play a role in secretion and/or degradation of IL-1β. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and colitis.