LymeNet Flash: TNF-Alpha in English anyone?

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Posted by mrsdizzy (Member # 11690) on :

I'm wondering if anyone can help me out here.....

I got a test called TNF-Alpha done, and I'm a little confused what it means. From what I've gathered on the net it's an inflammation marker?? My test came back low <1 out of 20. Is this a good thing? Thanks for shedding some light on this, some of these bloodtests are confusing!

[bonk]

Posted by lou (Member # 81) on :

Not sure anyone really understands completely the role of inflammatory markers in infectious diseases, or whether/how to modify them.

The immune system produces a number of substances in response to an infection. TNF-alpha is a proinflammatory cytokine. There are many other cytokines involved in inflammation. Some are described as anti-inflammatory. Balancing these so you have the right amounts of each at the right time is the key to an effective immune response to the pathogen.

I think right now this test may have been ordered as a way of collecting information on how lyme patients' immune systems respond to the infection.

Posted by mrsdizzy (Member # 11690) on :

Thanks for the info. Lou, much appreciated [Big Grin]

Posted by Marnie (Member # 773) on :

Were you on abx. at the time of the testing?

Production of TNF alpha may be effected by several things:

There was no temporal effect on the TNF-.ALPHA. production induced by a low-dose LPS for one month, but

the level was affected by age and light exercise.

This system detected light exercise-induced changes in the TNF-.ALPHA. level more sensitively than changes induced by a high-dose LPS.

http://sciencelinks.jp/j-east/article/200223/000020022302A0754940.php

All patients in category IIIa had the genotype associated with low TNF-alpha production

compared with 20% of IIIb patients.

It may be postulated that

men with low TNF-alpha responses

have longer and sustained induction of white blood cell attracting chemokines because TNF-alpha induces IL-10 production and low IL-10 production is proinflammatory.

http://mailgate.dada.net/sci/sci.med.prostate.prostatitis/msg22752.html

Antibiotics may alter TNF alpha levels:

``These results indicate that different cellular mechanisms contribute to

antibiotic-mediated regulation of TNF-alpha

and iNOS secretion in mouse macrophages in response to E. coli versus S. aureus.''

PMID: 12935353

Abx. alter our immune response in other infections as well:

Thus, antibiotic treatment for MAC - Mycobacterium avium complex - results
in decreased levels of IL-6 and TNF-a in serum in HIV-1-infected persons who are not on HAART.

http://jcm.asm.org/cgi/reprint/39/1/298.pdf

Posted by mrsdizzy (Member # 11690) on :

Thanks Marnie, I was on augmenton (the third day) when I took this test. Makes sense. Thanks for the articles too.