Method of modulating inflammatory response

A method of modulating the levels of at least one inflammatory cytokine in a patient in need thereof, comprising:

• contacting, outside of the kidney, at least a portion of the body fluid of the patient with renal tubule cells, wherein the patient in need thereof is suffering from one or more disease selected from the group consisting of, malnutrition, chronic congestive heart failure, inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, systemic vasculitis, lupus, Wegener's granulomatosis, polyarteritis nodosa, dermatomyositis, diabetes mellitus Type I, thyroiditis, psoriasis, Guillian Barre syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and atherosclerosis, or other autoimmune disorders.