IL18 and colitis: Noteworthy, one recent study from Japan reported that after the induction of oxazolone-induced colitis (a mouse UC model), NLRP3−/− or Caspase-1−/− mice exhibited a higher sensitivity with an enhanced expression of Th2 cytokine (including IL-4 and IL-13) and a decreased production of mature IL-1β and IL-18 as compared to WT mice, and either exogenous IL-1β or IL-18 ameliorated the colitis (66).