TNF- Autocrine Feedback Loops in Human Monocytes: The Pro- and Anti-Inflammatory Roles of the TNF- Receptors Support the Concept of Selective TNFR1 Blockade .

Selective TNFR1 blockade in inflammatory diseases is emerging as a clinical strategy. We studied the roles of the two TNF- receptors, TNFR1 and TNFR2, in human monocytes, the principal producer of TNF- and central to many TNF- driven diseases. We hypothesised that TNF- has pro- and anti-inflammatory effects on monocytes, occurring differentially via TNFR1 and TNFR2.

The rs361525 polymorphism does not increase production of tumor necrosis factor alpha by monocytes from alpha-1 antitrypsin deficient subjects with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease - a pilot study.

Background: Polymorphisms in the TNF-A gene have been associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in some case-control studies. Previous work has shown that COPD/chronic bronchitis subjects with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency with the rs361525 TNF-α single nucleotide polymorphism have 100 times more TNF-in spontaneous sputum than disease matched controls. Our objective was to determine if the presence of this polymorphism increased TNF-α production by blood monocytes from COPD subjects.