In support of these observations, quantitative RT-PCR revealed that the expression of inflammatory genes (Il1b, Il23, Ptgs2 and Ptges) was robustly increased in the Pla2g3+/+ colon following AOM challenge, whereas these disease-associated changes were scarcely evident in the Pla2g3−/− colon (Fig. 2f). This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and infectious otitis media.