TNF and autoimmune disease: While recent advances in immunomodulatorybiologics, such as antitumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)antibodies, have shown moderate success, systemic administration ofantibody therapeutics may lead to several adverse effects, includingthe risk of autoimmune disorders due to systemic cytokine depletion.Transient RNA interference using exogenous short interfering RNA (siRNA)to regulate target gene expression at the transcript level offersan alternative to systemic immunomodulation.