TNF and viral infectious disease: While these studies mainly indicated apoptotic death of oligodendrocytes, other works have shown that oligodendrocytes express low levels of caspase 8 [51], a mediator of death-receptor induced apoptosis, and that TNF is a robust inducer of oligodendrocyte necrosis/necroptosis [52], implying that oligodendrocytes may be poised for pro-inflammatory cell death, especially during viral infection.