The presence of RNase A or DNase I decreased the production of TNF-α by SLE monocytes with a more prominent effect in the presence of both nucleases (Figure 4) and interestingly, these results were more striking in those SLE monocytes that were high secretors of TNF-α (Figure 4, patients 5 and 6). Here, TNF is linked to systemic lupus erythematosus.