TNF and acute pancreatitis: The onset of acute pancreatitis and hyperlipidemia induces pancreatic acinar cells to release pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, etc., through activating the nuclear transcription factor NF-κB to produce a large number of inflammatory mediators, which trigger multiple organ dysfunction or systemic inflammatory response syndrome to aggravate the condition.