TNF and Sepsis: During the course of sepsis, infectious components, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), may induce an inflammatory cascade causing the release of inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-6, macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), which can engender microvascular leakage, lung edema, epithelial and endothelial injury and hypoxemia.