TNF and Sepsis: The apoptotic death of PECs during non-pulmonary sepsis (sepsis originating outside the lungs or in the absence of pulmonary infection) involves Fas-FasL interaction, and the Fas inhibition protects their apoptotic cell death via diminishing lung tissue TNF-α, IL-6, IL-10, IFN-γ, IL-12, and CASP-3 activity (202).