BAFF-R mRNA expression (fold change) was significantly downregulated in the spleens of falciparum malaria patients (p = 0.0411), whereas BCMA mRNA expression was significantly upregulated only in the spleens of the patients (p = 0.0079) (Fig. 2f). Here, TNFRSF17 is linked to Plasmodium falciparum malaria.