To search for potential immunological mechanisms responsible for severe infections and deaths in H7N9 virus-infected patients, we analyzed the expression profiles of proinflammatory cytokines IFN-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10), CCL5, IFN-γ, interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6 during the H7N9 infection in human moDCs in comparison with those seen in H5N1 or H3N2 virus-infected cells. Here, TNF is linked to infection.