Although higher serum HH4 levels have been reported due to chronic inflammation in IBD according to the literature,10,20 the possible reason for the low HH4 results in patients with UC in this study can be due to the antimicrobial activity of HH4, which is a part of the innate immune system.21 Based on this information, it can be considered that the mucosal neutrophils in UC patients cannot produce HH4 adequately and cannot prevent mucosal bacterial invasion; therefore, regional inflammation cannot be limited. The gene discussed is PROK2; the disease is inflammatory bowel disease.