tumor necrosis factor

American  

noun

1. a protein, produced in humans and other animals, that is destructive to cells showing abnormally rapid growth: identical with cachectin. TNF

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tumor necrosis factor Scientific  

1. A protein that is produced by monocytes and macrophages and is able to attack and destroy tumor cells. It can also exacerbate certain chronic inflammatory diseases.

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Example Sentences

Among the hundreds of cytokines that exist, tumor necrosis factor, or TNF, stands tall as the most potent and the most studied for nearly the past 50 years.

From Salon

Several targeted therapies focus on a particularly powerful cytokine called tumor necrosis factor, or TNF.

From Scientific American

The researchers also hope to test an inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor, which is involved in inflammation, and another drug that inhibits the complement system, an arm of the immune system.

From Science Magazine

It blocks another cytokine, tumor necrosis factor, which, like il-6 is released by white blood cells in sepsis patients.

From New York Times

The researchers injected some of the mice with the cytokines interleukin-1 beta and tumor necrosis factor.

From Scientific American