While patients are on the CPB machine, pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and interleukins (IL) 1, 6 and 8 are released and mediate the systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), which is believed to play an essential role in myocardial ischemia and reperfusion injury [43]. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is systemic inflammatory response syndrome.