TNF and colitis: Administration of specific strains of L. lactis alleviated colitis induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in mice through the inhibition of inflammatory cell infiltration, as it significantly ameliorated shortening of colon length and histological score of the colon, while it also improved the aberrant mRNA expression in inflamed tissue close to the control level through notable suppression of the mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and mediators, including TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-γ, NO-synthases (iNOS), and Macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) [70].