Down-regulation of IL-1β and of IL-6 followed a different pattern than TNFα; release of TNFα was not impaired after LPS stimulation of PBMCs of patients with uncomplicated sepsis and with severe sepsis; moreover after stimulation with heat-killed bacteria TNFα production in uncomplicated sepsis did not differ from controls (panels C and F). The gene discussed is IL1B; the disease is Sepsis.