Furthermore, stimulation with HCV-RNA containing cryoprecipitates in different concentrations (100×106 geq/ml, 200×106 geq/ml), which had been isolated from a patient with HCV-associated cryoglobulinemia, for 12 hours led to a significant increase in the expression of TNFR2 (Figure 4G). This evidence concerns the gene TNFRSF1B and cryoglobulinemia.