TNF and muscle atrophy: Cachexia is characterized by extreme wasting of lean body mass and often occurs with an underlying chronic illness, such as cancer or congestive cardiac failure.13 Muscle atrophy during cachexic states ultimately stems from ubiquitin-mediated breakdown of myofibrils.14 Significantly, a well-documented association exists between cachexia and the dysregulation of cytokines, most notably the pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin-1 (IL-1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6).14, 15