A present study of the National Genome Research Network (NGFN) provides new insights into the inflammatory responses of the body: The messenger substance TNF alpha (tumor necrosis factor alpha) triggers another previously unknown signaling pathway, which induces this important defense mechanism.

Like a spacecraft docking to a space station: Via the docking of the messenger substance TNF (red) to its docking station (blue), an inflammation signal is activated. A small section of the huge lipid membrane, in which a body cell is enveloped, is represented yellow-white.
picture: Flint Buchanan

TNF alpha plays an important role in the defense reactions of the body. Certain cells of the immune system produce this signal substance when they encounter alien substances or pathogens. TNF alpha then binds to receptors e.g. on the surface of the blood vessel cells and thus alters the permeability of the vascular walls. This enables the proteins and fluid to penetrate the infected tissue and to develop the characteristic inflammatory features such as swelling and redness.

NGFN scientists on Professor Christian Haass’ research team, working closely with a team of scientists under the direction of Dr. Bruno Martoglio (Novartis Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland) have discovered another signaling pathway in which TNF alpha is involved: Tiny scissors in the cell membrane cut the messenger substance into small fragments. As a result, TNF alpha fragments are released both within and outside the cells. Inside the cell the fragments travel to the cell nucleus and start an emergency program, so that increased messenger substance is produced, amplifying the immune response.


Website of the scientists involved in this project