TNF is upregulated in EoE patients and tissue (Blanchard et al., 2006; Straumann et al., 2001), and is thought to play a role in fibrotic change along with IL-1β (Aceves et al., 2007; Muir et al., 2013), although these markers are not specific for EoE (Blanchard et al., 2011). This evidence concerns the gene IL1B and eosinophilic esophagitis.