TNF and Sepsis: At 6 hours of sepsis, PBMC release of TNF- α and IL-8 in response to LPS was significantly lower in the SCD-C versus SCD-H groups (p<0.05), averaging 14±2 and 24±12 percent of baseline values for TNF- α and IL-8 in SCD-C animals compared to 63±10 and 108±19 percent of baseline levels in the SCD-H group.