TNF and infection: Proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) primarily initiate and amplify the inflammatory response to infection or trauma by signaling the recruit of additional immune cells and proinflammatory mediators to the site of injury.