In line with these observations, in vivo infection with E. tarda and V. harveyi significantly upregulated the expression of not only TrGSDMEa and TrCASP3/7, which execute pyroptosis, but also the cytokines of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-18 in pufferfish, suggesting that cytokine production was likely a result of pyroptosis-induced immune response. Here, IL6 is linked to infection.