The significant correlation between synovial FDCs, lympho-myeloid synovitis, and the expression of IL-6, IL-6R and its signaling pathway, as illustrated in our results, agrees with the critical role of FDC-IL-6 in promoting GCRs and somatic hypermutation leading to affinity maturation as previously reported in SLT (40). The gene discussed is IL6; the disease is synovitis.