phosphorylation of the NF-?B p65 subunit was constitutively increased in neutrophils and monocytes from patients with BD, suggesting chronic baseline activation (Fig. 6f) of these cells. Remarkably, aBD plasma exerted a stronger stimulus on NET release than iBD or HC plasma, correlating with the higher levels of sCD40L in aBD vs iBD. [...]the recapitulation of the stimulating effect of BD plasma on phagocyte function by treatment with rh-sCD40L and the inhibition by sCD40L blockade further support our interpretation that sCD40L carried in BD plasma is directly associated with some of the functional abnormalities observed in BD phagocytes. [...]each cell type has distinct responsiveness to different stimuli, which can also explain the differences observed between neutrophils and PBMCs. [...]our cohort was constituted of a sample of the Brazilian population, which represents a unique blend of European, African, and Native American descendants. [...]our findings should be confirmed in studies of other ethnic groups exposed to distinct environmental conditions because our patients may represent only a fraction of the cases and a piece in the BD pathophysiologic enigma.