Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha (TNF-α) is a homotrimeric protein consisting of 157 amino acids and serves as a potent pro-inflammatory cytokine. It plays a crucial role in various biological functions, including immune responses, inflammatory processes, cell growth, and apoptosis, by binding to its receptors TNFR1 and TNFR2. The dysregulation of TNF-α is associated with a multitude of diseases, such as autoimmune diseases, insulin resistance, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, tuberculosis, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, and cancer. In the treatment of autoimmune diseases, TNF-α inhibitors have become an essential therapeutic strategy, with examples including infliximab, etanercept, and adalimumab. In the context of in vitro diagnostic (IVD) applications, TNF-α is often measured in the blood to assess inflammatory responses across a broad spectrum of diseases.
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