TNF-α
Pro-inflammatory cytokine contributing to systemic inflammation
- Expression
- Elevated
- Evidence level
- strong
- Targeted by
- Infliximab, Etanercept
Role in pathogenesis
TNF-α is elevated in sera and tissues of AOSD patients regardless of disease activity. It contributes to systemic inflammation, ferritin production, and joint damage. However, TNF-α blockade (infliximab, etanercept) has shown inconsistent results in AOSD, suggesting it is not the primary driver but rather a downstream effector.