Importantly, stratification of METOMAC-PAC patients according to their clinical response revealed that Good Responders exhibit increased expression of “non-classical monocyte”-specific genes (MAF, FCGR3B, ICAM4) both before and after MTX treatment, while Partial Responders patients showed a higher baseline expression of genes preferentially expressed by “classical monocytes”. The gene discussed is MAF; the disease is gonorrhea.