Since lupus is characterized by an aberrance in the clearance of dying cells and apoptotic blebs contain autoantigens known to act as endogenous TLR ligands [such as dsDNA, ribonucleoproteins, and HMGB1 (21)], it was of interest to assess whether Hb could interact with such molecules. This evidence concerns the gene HMGB1 and systemic lupus erythematosus.