Tumor necrosis factor: an apoptosis JuNKie?

TNF's main function is to stimulate inflammation by turning on gene transcription through the IKK/NFkappaB and JNK/AP-1 signaling cascades. TNF also can trigger apoptosis through caspase-8, but the role and underlying mechanism of this activity are not fully understood. Here, we review recent data on the role of JNK in the regulation of TNF-dependent apoptosis and discuss what is known so far about how cells decide whether to live or die in response to TNF.