In a breakthrough study of IBD- protective single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in theMAP3K8 gene, Rouliset al. reported thatMAP3K8 encodes tumor progression locus-2 (Tpl2) kinase in intestinal myofibroblasts, in addition to promoting arachidonic acid metabolism and COX-2/PGE-2 activation, which are important in the compensatory proliferative response of the intestinal epithelium to injury97. The gene discussed is MAP3K8; the disease is inflammatory bowel disease.