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cachectin

American

[kuh-kek-tin] / kəˈkɛk tɪn /

noun

Biochemistry, Immunology. a protein that is released by activated macrophages as an immune system defense and, when the defense is overwhelmed, is a cause of cachexia or toxic shock: in humans, identical with tumor necrosis factor.

< Greek kachekt ( ikós ) unwell ( see cachexia, -tic) + -in ²

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023