We found that the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) were markedly and persistently increased during the progression of CVB3-induced myocarditis, and positively correlated with the disease severity. Here, TNF is linked to myocarditis.