[Anti-tumor effect and the mechanism of action of human recombinant TNF].

TNF is cytokine derived from macrophages and holds strong promise for application to cancer therapy because of its marked antitumor effects and its high specificity to tumors. The clinical application (Phase I-II) of TNF has been started because human recombinant TNF (rH-TNF) can been produced on a large scale. In spite of notable antitumor effects, little is known concerning the mechanism of action of its cytotoxic activity. In this article, the antitumor effects of rH-TNF against human and murine tumors, the mechanism of its action and the synergistic effects of rH-TNF in combination with IFN-gamma or with cyclophosphamide are reviewed.