Tumor necrosis factor-alpha: molecular-biological aspects minireview.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) a proinflammatory cytokine with multiple actions was first identified for its anticancer activity. However, TNF-alpha has a beneficial function in activation of host defense, its uncontrolled production can lead to pathological consequences. At the cellular level, it is able to exert obviously opposing effects: apoptosis and activation. It modulates survival and activates genes through various intermediates, including protein kinases, protein phosphatases, reactive oxygen intermediates, phospholipases, proteases, sphingomyelinases and transcription factors. In this review, the INF-alpha is characterized at the molecular and cellular level (TNF-alpha mediated signal transduction is discussed in the first part, regulation of its expression in the second one), as well as methods of its determination in biological materials, giving special emphasis to the molecular-biological approach. The full understanding of the molecular mechanism of TNF-alpha will provide the basis for a pharmacological approach intended to inhibit or potentiate selected biological actions of this cytokine.
Szatmáry
Z
Z
Institute of Preventive and Clinical Medicine, Department of Clinical Immunology, Bratislava, Slovak Republic.
D000818:Animals; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D006801:Humans; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases / Q000502:physiology; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor / Q000502:physiology; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D015398:Signal Transduction; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000032:analysis / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
D016328:NF-kappa B; D018124:Receptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D020929:Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases