Tumour necrosis factor

tumour necrosis factor

(Science: cytokine) Originally described as a tumour inhibiting factor in the blood of animals exposed to bacterial lipopolysaccharide or bacille Calmette-Guerin.

Preferentially kills tumour cells in vivo and in vitro, causes necrosis of certain transplanted tumours in mice and inhibits experimental metastases. Human tumour Necrosis factor alpha is a protein of 157 amino acids and has a wide range of pro inflammatory actions. Usually considered a cytokine.

Synonym: cachectin.

Acronym: TNF

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