Considering B cell subsets, IL-10 production in MS was directly related to proportions of TB cells (R 0.35, p < 0.05) and inversely to SMB cells (R − 0.39, p < 0.05), whereas TNFα appeared inversely related to TB (R − 0.43, p < 0.01) and directly to UMB (R 0.49, p < 0.01). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is tuberculosis.