Immunomodulating functions of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 1 inhibitors.

Cytokines play a crucial role in the inflammatory and immune responses. The activity of cytokines is counterbalanced by specific inhibitors with some functioning as receptor antagonists. Inhibitors to interleukin 1 and tumor necrosis factor may have therapeutic potential in conditions such as inflammatory arthritis, diabetes mellitus, disseminated intravascular coagulopathy and septic shock. The ability to modulate host defenses with cytokines and cytokine antagonists may also have applications in the fields of transplantation, oncohematology and immunodeficiency.