PTX3 expression is rapidly induced by proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IL-1β [17], and PTX3 has thus been suggested to be a biomarker in inflammation-related diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [18], hepatocellular carcinoma [19] and liver fibrosis [20]. Here, TNF is linked to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.