MUC2 and intestinal cancer: In the intestinal cancer cell line LS180, the proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 triggered the expression of MUC2, MUC5B, and MUC6 genes, and promoted their secretion, whereas IL-1 or tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) activated the expression of MUC2 and MUC5AC genes, and alteration of mucus layers was induced by these differentially expressed cytokines (Enss et al., 2000).