TUMOUR NECROSIS FACTOR‐ALPHA IMMUNODETECTION IN BLOOD MONOCYTES AND SERUM: PRELIMINARY FINDINGS IN WEIGHT‐LOSING CANCER PATIENTS

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Abstract
The peptide tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) is a central mediator of the host response. Identifying where and when TNF-alpha is produced may give insights into its potential role in various pathophysiological states. This paper describes a quantitative analysis of TNF-alpha expression in peripheral blood monocytes (PBM) at the single cell level. A pilot study has been undertaken, using this method to assess TNF-alpha expression in PBM from healthy volunteers and cancer patients. We also report mildly elevated serum TNF-alpha levels in the cancer patients, using an immunoradiometric assay (IRMA) sensitive to 1 pg/mL of recombinant TNF-alpha. The results of this preliminary investigation suggest that TNF-alpha production may be altered in cancer patients.