[Synthesis of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) by human monocytes in vitro]

The presence of TNF-alpha mRNA and protein in circulating human blood monocytes isolated by continuous Percoll gradient fractionation was studied. The technique of RNA isolation from the blood samples was used to study TNF-alpha mRNA expression. It was shown that human blood monocytes of healthy donors contained no presynthesized pool of TNF-alpha mRNA as well as no TNF-alpha protein.