To investigate the role of TNF-α in the pathophysiology of both, we tested the effect of anti-TNF-α therapy administered before or after the onset of sepsis; we hypothesized that pretreatment with anti-TNF-α therapy would be effective, due to shared pathophysiology of injury, but that anti-TNF-α treatment initiated after the onset of sepsis would be ineffective due to rapidly established organ injury. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is Sepsis.