High plasma endotoxin/IL-10-related HLA-DR down-regulation and impaired phagocytosis of CD16- (classical, phagocytic) monocytes also resulted in increased severe sepsis risk among TLR4+896A/G and CD14-159C/T variant allele carriers (Figs 3, 4A & 4B). This evidence concerns the gene CD14 and Sepsis.