TNF and colitis: To assess whether the treatment resulted in a modulation in the secretion of proinflammatory mediators, organoculture supernatants levels of IL-12, TNF alpha, IFN gamma, KC and IL-17 as pro-inflammatory cytokines and IL-10 as the prototype anti-inflammatory or regulatory cytokine were evaluated: in fact, all these cytokines have been shown to be involved in the DSS colitis inflammatory state [13-15].