TUMOR-NECROSIS-FACTOR-ALPHA DOES NOT CROSS THE RAT PLACENTA

In the last few years there has been a considerable proliferation of s tudies suggesting that tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) has a very i mportant physiological role in pregnancy. Its presence in the fetus ha s been related to several important roles such as cell growth and diff erentiation or immune protection. The aim of the present work was to a nalyze whether maternal TNF could reach the fetal circulation. The res ults found after in vivo [I-125]TNF administration to pregnant rats at term demonstrate that, TNF does not cross the placenta and therefore it may be suggested that the cytokine which is found in the fetus is s ynthesized in its organs. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.