TNF and serum lipopolysaccharide activity: As a transcription factor of heat shock proteins (HSPs), heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) plays a key role in combating endotoxemia, including inhibition of proinflammatory cytokine genes, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 1 (IL-1), and IL-6 (8, 9).