TNF (Tumor Necrosis Factor), also known as TNFα, is a cytokine that can directly kill tumor cells without obvious cytotoxicity to normal cells and is a cell signaling protein involved in systemic inflammation and is one of the cytokines that make up the acute phase reaction. The primary role of TNF signaling pathway is in the regulation of immune cells. TNF, being an endogenous pyrogen, is able to induce fever, apoptotic cell death, cachexia, inflammation and to inhibit tumorigenesis and viral replication and respond to sepsis via IL1 & IL6 producing cells.
