In this study we report that polymorphism in the TNF-RII gene, but not the TNF-RI gene, is associated with circulating levels of TNF receptors in a population of Caucasian RA patients, and that this polymorphism is also associated with levels of sTNFRs released in vitro by isolated T cells from RA patients. Here, TNFRSF1B is linked to rheumatoid arthritis.