Selectively blocking TNF-α alleviates the progression of RA symptoms.8, 9 However, whether TNF-α mediates anti-apoptosis or pro-apoptosis pathogenic responses in RA-FLSs is unknown.10, 11 Previous evidence supports that TNF-α inhibits pro-apoptosis by Bcl-2 family members in RA-FLS.7 However, several lines of evidence suggest that the binding of TNF-α to its cell surface receptor TNF-R1 could induce pro-apoptotic responses to FLSs. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is rheumatoid arthritis.