Based on these observations, we hypothesize that suppression of dendropoiesis during remission of ITD+ leukemia is mediated by soluble factors (produced by minimal residual leukemia or by the leukemia microenvironment) that activate myeloid cells (such as monocytes) to produce IL-10, IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is leukemia.