<unk>  promotes the inflammatory response, which, in turn, causes many of the clinical problems associated with autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, inflammatory bowel disease, psoriasis, hidradenitis suppurativa and refractory asthma. These disorders are sometimes treated by using a<unk>  inhibitor. This inhibition can be achieved with a monoclonal antibody such as infliximab (Remicade) binding directly to<unk> , adalimumab (Humira), certolizumab pegol (Cimzia) or with a decoy circulating receptor fusion protein such as etanercept (Enbrel) which binds to<unk>  with greater affinity than the<unk> R. On the other hand some patients treated with<unk>  inhibitors develop an aggravation of their disease or new onset of autoimmunity.<unk>  seems to have an immunosuppressive facet as well. One explanation for a possible mechanism is this observation that<unk>  has a positive effect on regulatory T cells (Tregs), due to its binding to the<unk>  receptor 2 <unk> R2). Anti-TNF therapy has shown only modest effects in cancer therapy. Treatment of renal cell carcinoma with infliximab resulted in prolonged disease stabilization in certain patients. Etanercept was tested for treating patients with breast cancer and ovarian cancer showing prolonged disease stabilization in certain patients via downregulation of IL-6 and CCL2. On the other hand, adding infliximab or etanercept to gemcitabine for treating patients with advanced pancreatic cancer was not associated with differences in efficacy when compared with placebo.
Tumor necrosis factor
Interleukin
Major basic protein
Macrophage-activating factor
Defensin
Leukotriene
Lymphokine
Nitric oxide