PIGR, which encodes a key molecule for the transcytosis of immunoglobulin A is one such gene and is known to be downregulated in the colorectal epithelium in IL‐17R‐deficient mice and in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)21 and is also found to be downregulated in NEC‐SC in our study. This evidence concerns the gene IL17RA and necrotizing enterocolitis.