Lymphopenia and leukopenia has been observed in the majority of patients, together with elevated level of C-reactive protein, lactate dehydrogenase, D-Dimers, and other inflammatory biomarkers, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor as well as IL-10 (refs. 1,8–11). The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is lymphopenia.