These genes were chosen because Tnfa-encoded tumor necrosis factor alpha is a multifunctional proinflammatory cytokine involved in a variety of acute and chronic inflammatory responses, and Orm1-encoded alpha 1 acid glycoprotein (AGP) is an acute-phase protein usually synthesized by hepatocytes in response to trauma, infection, and inflammation (Fournier et al. 2000). Here, TNF is linked to infection.