Soluble tumor necrosis factor receptors (sTNFR) are the cleaved-off extracellular domains of transmembrane TNF receptors. They are proposed to enter the bloodstream either via shedding by the enzyme TACE or through exocytosis of the full-length receptor in exosome-like vesicles. Elevated levels of sTNFR are seen in inflammatory processes such as infection, malignancy and autoimmune diseases.
References
- Waetzig, Georg H.; Rosenstiel, Philip; Arlt, Alexander; Till, Andreas; Bräutigam, Karen; Schäfer, Heiner; Rose-John, Stefan; Seegert, Dirk; Schreiber, Stefan (2005). "Soluble tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor-1 induces apoptosis via reverse TNF signaling and autocrine transforming growth factor-β1". The FASEB Journal. 19 (1): 91–93. doi:10.1096/fj.04-2073fje. PMID 15514103. S2CID 86190513. Retrieved 4 February 2015.