Levels of Tumor Necrosis Factor α/Cachectin (TNFα) in Sera from Patients with Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract

Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor α/cachectin (TNFα) were studied in a group of adult patients with sickle cell disease (SCD), which included 31 patients with homozygous SS hemoglobinopathy and 10 patients bearing double heterozygous SC hemoglobinopathy and in their matched normal controls. All patients tested did not show any form of crisis for at least 4 weeks prior to the extraction of the sample. The amount of TNFα in serum was quantitated by means of an immunoenzymatic assay with a lower limit of detection of 25 pg/ml. The percentage of sera with detectable levels of TNFα was significantly increased in SCD patients as compared with the normal controls. Mean TNFα values in individuals with detectable levels of the cytokine were also significantly higher in the whole group of SCD patients and in patients bearing either SS or SC hemoglobinopathies than in the control group. An inverse correlation was observed between the percentages of Hb F and the levels of TNFα found in the sera from the patients.

Blood mononuclear cell gene expression profiles characterize the oxidant, hemolytic, and inflammatory stress of sickle cell disease

“…12 Further, elevated blood levels of inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines (ie, interleukin 1 ␤ [IL-1␤], IL-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor ␣ [TNF␣]), increased adhesion molecule expression (ie, intercellular adhesion molecule [ICAM], vascular cell adhesion molecule [VCAM], integrins, and P-selectin), and increased inflammatory biomarkers such as Creactive protein and isoprostanes have been described and appear to contribute to the development of chronic organ injury. 6,[13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28] Gene expression signatures have been used successfully to characterize tumor phenotype and to predict disease recurrence and mortality in B-cell lymphoma and breast cancer. 29,30 This comprehensive analysis of transcription profiles provides a novel means to enhance knowledge of the pathogenesis and treatment of different diseases.…”

Microvascular blood flow and stasis in transgenic sickle mice: Utility of a dorsal skin fold chamber for intravital microscopy

“…The repetitive vaso-occlusive episodes cause tissue ischemia and reperfusion injury, resulting in endothelial cell activation and inflammation [4,5]. Sickle patients have multiple indicators of an inflammatory response including elevated white counts [6][7][8][9], C-reactive protein levels [10][11][12][13], cytokines [14][15][16][17], as well as activated monocytes [13,18], neutrophils [19][20][21], platelets [18,[22][23][24][25][26][27][28], and endothelial cells [29,30] in circulation.…”

Effect of Caffeic Acid on Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha-Induced Vascular Inflammation in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells

“…Up-regulation of adhesion molecules on the surface of endothelial cells is prominent when they are exposed to pro-inflammatory molecules such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a. 4) interleukin-8 (IL-8) and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1(MCP-1) production is present in human atherosclerotic plaques and participate in the development of atherosclerosis by recruiting monocytes into the subendothelial cell layer. 5,6) Therefore, factors affecting the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules and chemokines are important in the regulation of the vascular inflammatory processes.…”