Recognition of gut Gram-negative bacteria by toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain 1 (NOD1) expressed by pancreatic acinar cells and immune cells causes pro-inflammatory cytokine responses in experimental pancreatitis (Sharif et al., 2009; Tsuji et al., 2012; Watanabe et al., 2016). The gene discussed is TLR4; the disease is pancreatitis.