title: [Tumor necrosis factor alpha (cachectin). Biological properties and role in physiopathology].
abstract: Cachectin, or TNF-alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha) was first described as a product of activated monocytes capable of inducing tumor cell lysis both in vitro and in vivo. In addition to this activity, TNF-alpha has been shown to possess many other biological properties: it modulates the synthesis of the enzymes involved in lipogenesis and regulates the function of various types of normal cells, such as fibroblasts, osteoblasts, endothelial cells and adipocytes. Moreover, TNF-alpha - displays multifunctional immunoregulatory activity on T and B lymphocytes and on natural killer and lymphokine activated killer cells and plays a major role in the defence against infections and in the immune response against cancer. In severe infection or cancer, an excessive production of TNF-alpha may be responsible for septic shocks or cachexia in both animals and man. The high conservation of the TNF-alpha gene in all species despite its toxicity indicates that it plays a crucial but still partially understood role.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire d'Immunologie, UA 1156 CNRS, Institut Gustave Roussy, Villejuif.
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Blay
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chouaib
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002100:Cachexia / Q000139:chemically induced; D003602:Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; D006087:Graft vs Host Reaction; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000139:chemically induced; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000276:immunology / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
vernacular_title: Facteur de nécrose tumorale alpha (cachectine). Propriétés biologiques et rôle en physiopathologie.