Both RAW264.7 and J774 are adherent macrophage cells derived from BALB/c mice, which can produce various TB associated cytokines, including TNF-α, IL-6 and IFN-β as well as release nitric oxide (NO) in response to bacterial infection and various other stimuli (Raschke et al., 1978; Stuehr and Marletta, 1987; Adams et al., 1993; Perez et al., 2000; Indrigo et al., 2003; Rao et al., 2005; Rao et al., 2006). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and tuberculosis.