TNF-alpha (Cachectin, Tumor necrosis factor alpha, DIF)

TNF-α (17.5 kDa, 157 amino acid) is a non-glycosylated protein that is a potent lymphoid factor, which exerts cytotoxic effects on a wide range of tumor cells and other target cells. It is secreted by macrophages, monocytes, neutrophils, T-cells and NK-cells following their stimulation by bacterial lipopolysaccha­rides. TNF-α has been suggested to play a pro-inflammatory role and has been detected in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.