Various human studies have also demonstrated the effects of PTX‐mediated immunomodulation in disease states, including decreased TNF‐α in AIDS patients (Fazely, Dezube, Allen‐Ryan, Pardee, & Ruprecht, 1991), inhibition of acute HIV‐1 replication in human T cells by reducing TNF‐α, IFN‐γ, and interleukin‐10 (IL‐10) production (Navarro et al., 1996), and improved cachexia in cancer patients (Dezube, Sherman, Fridovich‐Keil, Allen‐Ryan, & Pardee, 1993). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is cancer.