IL6 and colitis: As previously reported [21,22,23], the mRNA levels of inflammatory cytokines, Il6 (the gene encoding interleukin 6 (IL-6), Il17a, Tnf (the gene encoding tumor necrosis factor α), and Il1b, were increased in the colon of Vdr(+/−) mice with DSS-induced colitis (Figure 4A–D).