Interestingly, we also found that there was a significantly positive correlation between serum PTX3 and TNF-α level, the major cytokine induced PTX3 production from fibroblast.12 These results supported that PTX3 expression in the kidneys correlated with clinicohistopathological injury indices, especially tubular-interstitial features, which might result from the persistence of the major source, renal interstitial fibroblasts, and spill into the urine or serum, in active lupus nephritis. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and lupus nephritis.