title: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha and muscle wasting: a cellular perspective.
abstract: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a polypeptide cytokine that has been associated with muscle wasting and weakness in inflammatory disease. Despite its potential importance in muscle pathology, the direct effects of TNF-alpha on skeletal muscle have remained undefined until recently. Studies of cultured muscle cells indicate that TNF-alpha disrupts the differentiation process and can promote catabolism in mature cells. The latter response appears to be mediated by reactive oxygen species and nuclear factor-kappaB which upregulate ubiquitin/proteasome activity. This commentary outlines our current understanding of TNF-alpha effects on skeletal muscle and the mechanism of TNF-alpha action.
authors.affiliation: Pulmonary Section, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA. reid@bcm.tmc.edu
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Reid
authors.forename: Y P
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D009124:Muscle Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D018908:Muscle Weakness / Q000473:pathology; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000473:pathology*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology*; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D009124:Muscle Proteins; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha