TNF alpha/Albumin Antibodies

Target Information

TNF alpha is a multifunctional proinflammatory cytokine that belongs to the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily. This cytokine is mainly secreted by macrophage and bind to its receptors, TNFRSF1A/TNFR1 and TNFRSF1B/TNFBR. TNF alpha is involved in the regulation of immune cells, cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, and coagulation. TNF alpha exists as a multimer of two, three, or five noncovalently linked units, but shows a single 17 kDa band following SDS-PAGE under non-reducing conditions. Knockout studies in mice also suggested the neuroprotective function of TNF alpha, and has been observed to causes tumor necrosis when injected into tumor-bearing mice. Other functions of TNF-alpha include its role in the immune response to bacterial, viral, parasitic and certain fungal infections, as well as its role in the necrosis of specific tumors. TNF alpha causes cytolysis or cytostasis of certain transformed cells, being synergistic with interferon-gamma in its cytotoxicity. This cytokine has been implicated in a variety of diseases, including autoimmune diseases, insulin resistance, and cancer.

Albumin is a soluble, monomeric protein which comprises about one-half of the blood serum protein. Albumin functions primarily as a carrier protein for steroids, fatty acids, and thyroid hormones and plays a role in stabilizing extracellular fluid volume. Albumin is a globular unglycosylated serum protein of molecular weight 65,000. Albumin is synthesized in the liver as preproalbumin which has an N-terminal peptide that is removed before the nascent protein is released from the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The product, proalbumin, is in turn cleaved in the Golgi vesicles to produce the secreted albumin.