Thus, SLE monocytes were characterized by prominent TNF-α production (mean ± SD: 302.2±337.5 pg/ml) and diminished TGF-β secretion (mean ± SD: 685.9±615.9 pg/ml) in response to apoptotic cells, a difference that was statistically significant compared to normal monocytes (p≤10−6 for TNF-α secretion, and p = 0.0031 for TGF-β, respectively) (Figure 1A and 1B, respectively). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and systemic lupus erythematosus.