TNF and systemic lupus erythematosus: For immune complexes in autoimmune backgrounds, either autoantibodies against self-molecules or new epitopes in circulating or in situ, they could modulate the activity of immune cells and release the inflammatory mediators, such as TNF-α, IL-1, etc. They had the prominent immunomodulatory properties which might influence the atherosclerotic inflammation and atherogenesis itself, and be involved in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular events in some rheumatic diseases, especially SLE[27,28].