TY - JOUR T1 - On Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor-induced Systemic Lupus Erythematosus JF - The Journal of Rheumatology JO - J Rheumatol SP - 3 LP - 5 DO - 10.3899/jrheum.091071 VL - 37 IS - 1 AU - NOAM JACOB AU - CHAIM O. JACOB Y1 - 2010/01/01 UR - http://www.jrheum.org/content/37/1/3.abstract N2 - In the 1950s and 1960s Geritol tonic was heavily advertised on television as a fast cure-all if “you’re feeling weak and rundown, tired or nervous.” It was lampooned in a more recent sitcom as a magic elixir capable of transforming a friendless geek into the most popular kid at school. While the recent and numerous television advertisements for the anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents currently on the market do not make such outlandish claims as this, one cannot help but be awed by the overwhelming presence that these intravenously infused prescription drugs have so quickly established in the public sphere.TNF-α generates a vast array of biological properties, including cellular differentiation, proliferation, and apoptosis1–4. This variability is attributed to the binding of TNF to 2 distinct transmembrane receptors that can mediate TNF-induced inflammation and cell death, the promotion of proliferative responses in T lymphocytes and other hematopoietic cells5–7, and the induction of apoptosis in mature activated T cells8. Thus, TNF can serve dually as a potent proinflammatory mediator and a key immune modulator.Due to the multifarious effects of TNF, the results of either TNF administration or blockade have varied significantly from disease to disease and from animal models to human patients. In terms of TNF blockade, currently 3 anti-TNF agents are licensed for clinical use (the 2 monoclonal antibodies adalimumab and infliximab and a soluble TNF receptor, etanercept) and are prescribed for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), juvenile RA, psoriatic arthritis, … Address correspondence to Dr. C.O. Jacob, University of Southern California, 2011 Zonal Ave., HMR 705, Los Angeles, CA 90033. E-mail: Jacob{at}usc.edu ER -