H. Loetscher, Y.-C.E. Pan, H.-W. Lahm, R. Gentz, et al., "Molecular cloning and expression of the human 55 kd tumor necrosis factor receptor," Cell, 61:351-59, 1990.
Hansruedi Loetscher (F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Basel, Switzerland): "We are interested in specific immunologic and inflammatory host defense reactions in humans. Biomedical research has shown that these defense responses are orchestrated by a highly specific network of different cytokines. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) has been recognized as one of the most pleitropic of these cytokines. Our studies focus on the cellular receptors for TNF previously identified in biochemical and immunological analyses as two distinct proteins of 55 and 75 kilodaltons (kd), respectively. Molecular cloning of the 55 kd receptor allowed us to define a new cytokine receptor gene family, featuring four characteristic cysteine-rich repeats in the extracellular region.
"Although it is likely that the two receptors have distinct functions, many TNF-induced activities appear to ...
