Reduction of Circulating Secretory Phospholipase A2 Levels by Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Chimeric Monoclonal Antibody in Patients with Severe Crohn's Disease

Background: Secretory phopholipase A2 group II (sPLA2-II) has pro-inflammatory effects. The impor\tance of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) for induction of plasma sPLA2-II in humans was studied in two groups of subjects. Subjects: Six healthy volunteers received a single intravenous injection of recombinant human TNF or isotonic saline at random. Ten patients with active Crohn's disease received a single intravenous infusion of an anti-TNF chimeric monoclonal antibody, cA2. Results: TNF infusion in healthy volunteers resulted in an increase of sPLA2