TNF and serum lipopolysaccharide activity: The high lethality induced by endotoxemia in males was associated with an inflammatory profile characterized by high peripheral levels of TNF and IL-6; this was also consistent with inflammation in the liver and lungs, where significantly high levels of TNF at 1.5 and 12 h and of IL-6 at 6 h or of IL-1 during the first 6 h were found.