TNF and viral infectious disease: At the other end, poly (I:C) is a synthetic analog of double-stranded RNA that efficiently mimics the acute phase response to viral infection, including the production and release of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, as well as the induction of the type I interferons (IFNs): IFN-α and IFN-β [20].