Tumor necrosis factor in the serum of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
In view of recent data demonstrating defective production of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF cachectin) in murine autoimmune lupus nephritis, we studied the serum levels of TNF in 22 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), using a specific radioimmuno‐assay. Patients with SLE had either normal or slightly elevated levels of TNF when compared with healthy control subjects. All 5 SLE patients with concomitant infections had elevated levels of TNF; those with systemic bacterial infection had markedly raised levels (median 260 pg/ml normal < 40). These results show that SLE in humans is not associated with a depressed level of circulating TNF, and that in SLE patients with infection, the level of TNF in the circulation increases in a manner similar to that in other subjects.