In the present study, E. coli infection resulted in notable inflammatory changes, marked by the upregulation of NOS2, DUOXA1, DEFB114, THBS1, CXCL8, MMP8, NRROS, IL1A, and C5. The expression of these genes is a major indicator of an acute inflammatory response in the small intestine, serving to activate the innate immune system to mount a response against the infection (Sahu and Lambris, 2001). Here, MMP8 is linked to infection.