Moreover, Tetragenococcus halophilus strain KK221, a heat-killed lactic acid bacteria (LAB), induced IFN-β in a TLR3-dependent manner and suppressed expression of genes encoding inflammatory mediators such as TNF-α and IL-6 as well as alleviated colonic inflammation in a dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis model9. Here, IL6 is linked to colitis.