Lee et al. 149 found pretreatment of RA fibroblast-like synoviocytes with brazilin induced the activation of autophagy by inhibiting TNF-induced phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα (inhibitor of NF-κB) in these synoviocytes, and it could result in a significantly decrease of the secretion of TNF-induced proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and IL-8. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and rheumatoid arthritis.