TNF and ischemia: Within the first hours after onset of ischemia affected brain cells produce and secrete proinflammatory cytokines including monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) [4], [5].