How tumor necrosis factor protects against infection
Monday, July 11, 2016 - 13:01
in Health & Medicine
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), a messenger substance in the immune system, plays an important role in triggering chronic inflammatory diseases. For this reason, TNF inhibitors are a standard form of treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and certain inflammatory bowel diseases. However, TNF also protects against infection, which means that inhibiting it can cause latent infections to resurface. Researchers have now discovered a new mechanism via which TNF protects against intracellular pathogens that cause infection.