Therefore, at variance with our previous analyses we could finally establish that TNF-α was implicated in normal fetal growth in addition to IGF-2 and IGFBP-2, whereas in IUGR, IL-6 was the implicated cytokine in combination with IGF-I, IGFBP-1 and IGFBP-2. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is fetal growth restriction.