It should be emphasized that the influence of epratuzumab on IL-6, TNF-α and IL-10 production was comparable between SLE B cells and controls, but that the ratios of IL-10 to TNF-α and IL-10 to IL-6 were substantially different in SLE upon BCR-TLR9 stimulation. This evidence concerns the gene IL6 and systemic lupus erythematosus.