TNF and infection: Tumor necrosis factor-α (also known as cachectin) is a strong pro-inflammatory cytokine that shows an important role in the immune system during inflammation, cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis [23], and its production is activated immediately after recognition of an invading pathogen by TLRs [24], inducing a cascade of signals, which increase vascular permeability and promote the passage of macrophages and neutrophils to the site of infection [25].