Acute Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α or Lymphotoxin on Oxygenation and Bioenergetic Status in Experimental Tumors

Recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-α (rhTNF-α) exerts direct cytolytic and cytostatic effects on tumor cells in vitro (Fiers,1991).In vivo,indirect actions on the tumor microvasculature have been described, such as the formation of fibrin thrombi (Nawroth et al.,1988),which cause stasis and damage of tumor microvessels with subsequent hemorrhagic necrosis.