TNF and Sepsis: Figure 2C shows that myocardial NF-κB binding activity was markedly increased 36.8% in WT septic mice and 82.3% in HSPA12B–/– septic mice, when compared with the respective sham controls. Cecal ligation and puncture sepsis also significantly increased the serum levels of TNFα (Figure 2D) and IL-6 (Figure 2E) in WT septic mice. However, the levels of serum TNFα and IL-6 in HSPA12B–/– septic mice were markedly 243 and 223% greater than in WT septic mice (Figures 2D,E).