S100A8/A9 provides an important first signal for inducing the hematopoietic response in the BM by directly interacting with RAGE on common myeloid progenitor cells in diabetes (Nagareddy et al., 2013) or through TLR-4-mediated mechanisms in obesity (Nagareddy et al., 2014). The gene discussed is S100A8; the disease is diabetes mellitus.