Moreover, as shown by immunostainting, an elevated expression of the proinflammatory cytokine IL-6 [which is tightly implicated in the pathogenesis of human and experimental chronic colitis [43,44,45]] was observed in DSS chronic colitis model in colons of Sdc1-KO as compared to wt mice (Fig 2D top panel). This evidence concerns the gene SDC1 and Chronic colitis.