Challenge with E. coli resulted in elevated production of IL-1β at 1.5, 3, and 6 h after E. coli infection in ASC-/- cells only infected with E. coli (P = 0.009, P = 0.021, and P = 0.001, respectively; Figure 8A) compared with untreated control cells; however, the E. coli-induced increase in IL-1β production was attenuated at 3 and 6 h by incubation with L. rhamnosus GR-1 alone (P = 0.014 and P = 0.007, respectively) and pre-incubation with L. rhamnosus GR-1 (P = 0.009 and P = 0.003, respectively). The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is escherichia coli infection.