Anti-TNF treatment reverts increased muscle ubiquitin gene expression in tumour-bearing rats

Implantation of the ascitic tumour Yoshida AH-130 hepatoma (a cachectic tumour) resulted in important increases in muscle ubiquitin gene expression. Administration of daily injections of 25 mg/kg b.w. polyclonal goat anti-murine TNF IgG preparation to tumour-bearing rats abolished the increase in muscle ubiquitin gene expression observed in the control (non-anti-TNF-treated) tumour-bearing rats. It is concluded that TNF can have an important role in the activation of the ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system during tumour growth. (C) 1996 Academic Press, Inc.