Deviations in circulating TNFα levels and TNFα production by mononuclear cells in healthy human populations.

Objectives: Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) plays a pivotal role in the inflammatory host response. The serum-level of TNFα and the production of TNFα by lympho/monocytes, however, seem to show high individual variations. The goal of the present study was to investigate the variations and inducibility of TNFα-activity in two age-groups of healthy volunteers.