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Tumour necrosis factor and lymphotoxin: Molecular aspects and role in tissue‐specific autoimmunity
Author(s) -
KORNER HEINRICH,
SEDGWICK JONATHON D
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
immunology and cell biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.999
H-Index - 104
eISSN - 1440-1711
pISSN - 0818-9641
DOI - 10.1038/icb.1996.77
Subject(s) - lymphotoxin , tumor necrosis factor alpha , experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis , lymphotoxin alpha , immunology , proinflammatory cytokine , autoimmunity , lymphotoxin beta receptor , cytokine , rheumatoid arthritis , multiple sclerosis , biology , autoimmune disease , medicine , inflammation , immune system , antibody
Summary Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is a highly potent, proinflammatory cytokine with broad‐ranging functions from the regulation of endothelial cell adhesion molecules to facilitate entry of leucocytes into tissues, to direct induction of cellular cytotoxicity. This diversity of function potentially attributable to TNF in the genesis of inflammatory disorders place TNF as a primary candidate for clinical targeting and considerable success in this regard has been achieved, particularly in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this article we provide a short overview of TNF and its homologue lymphotoxin (LT) α and β. Particular emphasis is placed on recent discoveries regarding the cell surface expression of these cytokines and the role of TNF/LT in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), an animal model of the human demyelinating disease, multiple sclerosis (MS).