Inhibition of the release of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors in experimental endotoxemia by an anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibody.

The role of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in the shedding of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors in endotoxemia was investigated. The appearance of the soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors was assessed in four healthy volunteers following an intravenous injection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and in eight chimpanzees after intravenous administration of endotoxin in the absence or presence of concurrent treatment with a neutralizing anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha monoclonal antibody. Injection of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in humans elicited a significant, instantaneous (after 15 min) increase in the plasma concentrations of both types of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors. In chimpanzees, treatment with the anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha antibody completely neutralized endotoxin-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha activity. The release of soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors was strongly (80-90%) inhibited in the presence of the neutralizing antibody. Our results indicate that tumor necrosis factor-alpha is a prime mediator of endotoxin-induced release of its own soluble receptors.