TNF and systemic inflammatory response syndrome: This infiltrative process is further associated with an increase of inflammatory cytokines [such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6, IL-18, INF-γ, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)] amplifying the aberrant immune response (5), leading to the so-called cytokine storm, clinically characterized by severe systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) and multiorgan dysfunction syndrome (MODS).