Pietro Ghezzi - Böcker

While many cytokines are known for their inflammatory action, there is a growing interest in the tissue-protective effects of some cytokines.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in a va- ety of physiological and pathological processes. After initial discovery of its ability to induce cell death and animal cachexia, it was soon realized that this cytokine played pivotal roles in the regulation of homeostasis and inflam- tory-immune responses. This led to an explosion of interest in basic and tra- lational research activities on the role of TNF in many diseases, such as cancer, septic shock, rheumatoid arthritis, and infectious diseases of the central n- vous system. Because of its potential therapeutic value, many academic and industrial research groups have worked to discover compounds that can block its activity. These studies have led to the approval of anti-TNF antibodies and soluble TNF receptors for the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's d- ease. TNF also can be an attractive anticancer agent capable of damaging tum- associated vessels and of inducing tumor necrosis in patients.The unique properties of TNF have led to its registration as a drug for locoregional tre- ment of sarcomas of the extremities, and stimulated many preclinical studies aimed at improving its therapeutic index for systemic use. Tumor Necrosis Factor: Methods and Protocols provides an overview of basic and translational research along with a series of practical procedures on TNF production, characterization, mutagenesis, detection in biological spe- mens, as well as several in vitro assays and animal models for studying the role of TNF in various diseases.

A comprehensive collection of readily reproducible techniques for TNF production, characterization, mutagenesis, and detection in biological specimens. Also included are several in vitro assays and animal models for studying the role of TNF in various TNF-related diseases and in cancer. The collection offers molecular and cellular biologists, pharmacologists, and toxicologists a diverse set of versatile, cutting-edge tools for illuminating the pathophysiological roles of TNF in disease and for identifying new drugs.

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-? is a pleiotropic cytokine involved in a va- ety of physiological and pathological processes. After initial discovery of its ability to induce cell death and animal cachexia, it was soon realized that this cytokine played pivotal roles in the regulation of homeostasis and inflam- tory-immune responses. This led to an explosion of interest in basic and tra- lational research activities on the role of TNF in many diseases, such as cancer, septic shock, rheumatoid arthritis, and infectious diseases of the central n- vous system. Because of its potential therapeutic value, many academic and industrial research groups have worked to discover compounds that can block its activity. These studies have led to the approval of anti-TNF antibodies and soluble TNF receptors for the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's d- ease. TNF also can be an attractive anticancer agent capable of damaging tum- associated vessels and of inducing tumor necrosis in patients.The unique properties of TNF have led to its registration as a drug for locoregional tre- ment of sarcomas of the extremities, and stimulated many preclinical studies aimed at improving its therapeutic index for systemic use. Tumor Necrosis Factor: Methods and Protocols provides an overview of basic and translational research along with a series of practical procedures on TNF production, characterization, mutagenesis, detection in biological spe- mens, as well as several in vitro assays and animal models for studying the role of TNF in various diseases.

While many cytokines are known for their inflammatory action, there is a growing interest in the tissue-protective effects of some cytokines. The prototypic tissue-protective cytokine is EPO. Initially described as neuro-protective, it is beneficial in animal models of ischemic and other types of injury. Scientists had to overcome the notion that EPO had only erythropoietic actions, was only produced by the kidney, and that its receptor was only present in erythroid progenitor cells. The use of in vitro and in vivo disease models was essential to demonstrate the protective effects of EPO. Reproducible models will be needed for the further study of the mechanism of action of EPO and for the identification of other tissue-protective cytokines.In Tissue-Protective Cytokines: Methods and Protocols, expert researchers in the field detail the key models that have been used to characterize the tissue-protective actions of cytokines. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology™ series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, provide step-by-step laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Thorough and intuitive, Tissue Protective Cytokines: Methods and Protocols aids scientists in continuing to study tissue-protection that will be a new field of interest of cytokine biology, both in discovering novel actions of known cytokines and in developing new drugs.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been implicated in almost every human disease phenotype, without much, if any, therapeutic consequence foremost exemplified by the failure of the so-called anti-oxidants.