Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsTNF’s RoleCausesMedical ConditionsTreatmentManaging Inflammation
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
TNF’s Role
Causes
Medical Conditions
Treatment
Managing Inflammation
TNF triggers theinflammatory processto fight threats to your body. However, too much TNF can result in excess inflammation. This is what occurs inautoimmune diseases, conditions in which your body attacks healthy cells and tissues.
Tumor Necrosis Factor and Immune System: Role of TNF
Tumor necrosis factor is necessary for a normal immune response. It is a pro-inflammatory agent that helps to regulate inflammation.
Inflammation is the response your immune system creates to an injury, infection, or disease. While the effects of inflammation, such as swelling or fever, may not be pleasant, they work to protect the affected area or body system to allow for healing.
When your body is healthy, it needs only small amounts of TNF so it naturally blocks any excess TNF. When dysfunction causes excess TNF, the unused TNF can trigger inflammation that attacks healthy cells and tissue. This results in autoimmune diseases and other acute and chronic conditions.
Causes of TNF Dysfunction
Causes of TNF dysfunction include infections and other inflammatory stimuli, including aging.Genetics and poor nutrition may also contribute to abnormally high levels of TNF.
How Abnormal TNF Levels Are IdentifiedAbnormal TNF levels are identified with a blood test that uses an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that detects antibodies in your blood.ELISA is regarded as the gold standard for the detection and diagnosis of protein biomarkers like cytokines.
How Abnormal TNF Levels Are Identified
Abnormal TNF levels are identified with a blood test that uses an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) that detects antibodies in your blood.ELISA is regarded as the gold standard for the detection and diagnosis of protein biomarkers like cytokines.
Conditions Linked to Increased TNF Production
The overproduction of TNF is linked with chronic inflammation that can lead to complications resulting in a number of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Autoimmune Diseases
Autoimmune diseases occur when your immune system dysfunctions and attacks your body’s healthy cells and tissues the same way it treats infections. TNF dysfunction is linked with the following autoimmune diseases:
Acute and Chronic Diseases
While TNF can help regulate the factors that fight infectious, elevated levels of TNF are linked with the following diseases:
Metabolic Disorders
Chronic inflammation and elevated levels of TNF are linked with the following metabolic disorders:
What Is Cytokine Storm Syndrome?
Medical Treatment: TNF Inhibitors
Medical treatment for TNF dysfunction often involves the use ofTNF inhibitors, also called TNF-alpha or TNFα inhibitors or blockers.
Types
TNF inhibitors differ in the way they work and the types of autoimmune diseases for which they are indicated. They are used in treating the following diseases in addition to off-label uses:
Side Effects
In blocking TNF activity, TNF inhibitors trigger your immune system to shut down the inappropriate immune response. However, this can also result in suppressing the antibodies that protect you against disease. This can leave you susceptible to serious side effects such as a severe infection.
Due to the increased risk of infection, strict attention to guidelines regarding self-hygiene, infection control, and annual influenza vaccination is necessary when taking TNF inhibitors.
The following minor side effects are linked to TNF inhibitors:
Infusion reactions can include:
Though rare, TNF inhibitors can also trigger the following side effects:
TNF Blockers and Risk of Infection
Other Ways to Lower or Manage Inflammation
In addition to treating the overproduction of TNF with TNF inhibitors, there is evidence that the following strategies can help to lower or manage inflammation:
Ananti-inflammatory dietlike the Mediterranean diet emphasizes the consumption of whole, unprocessed foods without added sugar while avoiding packaged food, processed red meat, full-fat dairy items, and food with added sugar and salt.
Replace inflammatory foods with the following foods that help fight inflammation:
Get at Least 20 Minutes of Moderate Exercise Daily
Regular exercise has protective effects against inflammation. Research indicates that one 20-minute session of moderate exercise like fast walking can trigger your immune system to produce an anti-inflammatory response.
Quit Smoking
Smoking promotes chronic inflammation throughout your body. There is evidence that nicotine activates neutrophils (a type of white blood cells) that release molecules that trigger inflammation.
Establish and Maintain a Healthy Weight
Weight loss in overweight and obese people has been identified as a factor for reducing the level of pro-inflammatory markers. Consuming a low-calorie diet can have an anti-inflammatory effect.
Summary
Excess levels of TNF can be harmful. Having too much TNF is linked to autoimmune diseases like IBD and psoriasis.
Long-term drugs called TNF inhibitors work to block the effects of TNF. While they are useful in treating TNF problems, these drugs suppress your immune system. This can raise your risk of infection and other side effects.
19 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Jang D in, Lee AH, Shin HY, et al.The role of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in autoimmune disease and current tnf-α inhibitors in therapeutics.Int J Mol Sci. 2021;22(5):2719. doi:10.3390/ijms22052719
Wyczalkowska-Tomasik A, Czarkowska-Paczek B, Zielenkiewicz M, Paczek L.Inflammatory markers change with age, but do not fall beyond reported normal ranges.Arch Immunol Ther Exp. 2016;64(3):249-254. doi:10.1007/s00005-015-0357-7
Quarta S, Massaro M, Carluccio MA, et al.An exploratory critical review on TNF-α as a potential inflammatory biomarker responsive to dietary intervention with bioactive foods and derived products.Foods. 2022;11(16):2524. doi:10.3390/foods11162524
University of Rochester Medical Center.Immune system disorders.
Gharamti AA, Samara O, Monzon A, et al.Proinflammatory cytokine levels in sepsis and in health and tnfα association with sepsis mortality and patient characteristics: a systematic review and meta-analysis.medRxiv. Published online December 14, 2021:2021.12.13.21267720. doi:10.1016/j.cyto.2022.156006
Thiha A, Ibrahim F.A colorimetric enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (Elisa) detection platform for a point-of-care dengue detection system on a lab-on-compact-disc.Sensors (Basel). 2015;15(5):11431-11441. doi:10.3390/s150511431
Mohd Zawawi Z, Kalyanasundram J, Mohd Zain R, Thayan R, Basri DF, Yap WB.Prospective roles of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (Tnf-α) in covid-19: prognosis, therapeutic and management.Int J Mol Sci. 2023;24(7):6142. doi:10.3390/ijms24076142
Pasquereau S, Kumar A, Herbein G.Targeting TNF and TNF receptor pathway in HIV-1 infection: from immune activation to viral reservoirs.Viruses. 2017;9(4):64. doi:10.3390/v9040064
Gong L, da Silva Caetano M, Cumpian AM, et al.Tumor necrosis factor links chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and K-ras mutant lung cancer through induction of an immunosuppressive pro-tumor microenvironment.Oncoimmunology. 2016;5(10):e1229724. doi:10.1080/2162402X.2016.1229724
Schumacher SM, Naga Prasad SV.Tumor necrosis factor-α in heart failure: an updated review.Curr Cardiol Rep. 2018;20(11):117. doi:10.1007/s11886-018-1067-7
Alzamil H.Elevated serum tnf-αis related to obesity in type 2 diabetes mellitus and is associated with glycemic control and insulin resistance.Journal of Obesity. 2020;2020:e5076858. doi:10.1155/2020/5076858
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).Information on tumor necrosis factor (TNF) blockers (marketed as Remicade, Enbrel, Humira, Cimzia, and Simponi).
Persico A, Kwon S, Wegrzyn E, Fudin J.Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors: a clinical primer.Pract Pain Manag. 2020;20(4).
Lis K, Kuzawińska O, Bałkowiec-Iskra E.Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors – state of knowledge.Arch Med Sci. 2014;10(6):1175-1185. doi:10.5114/aoms.2014.47827
Immune Deficiency Foundation.Autoimmunity
Nebraska Medicine University Health Center.Health benefits of an anti-inflammatory diet: 10 foods to eat and 6 to avoid.
Hosseinzadeh A, Thompson PR, Segal BH, Urban CF.Nicotine induces neutrophil extracellular traps.Journal of Leukocyte Biology, 2016; 100 (5): 1105 doi:10.1189/jlb.3AB0815-379RR
Bianchi VE.Weight loss is a critical factor to reduce inflammation.Clinical Nutrition ESPEN. 2018;28:21-35. doi:10.1016/j.clnesp.2018.08.007
Meet Our Medical Expert Board
Share Feedback
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit
What is your feedback?
