Inside Science) — A molecule that triggers inflammation may send cells into a panic-like state, prompting them to rush decisions about when to commit suicide, according to new research. This could help quell viral infection by ensuring infected cells die before new viruses are released. But it appears to come at a cost: Uninfected cells sometimes kill themselves by mistake.
The new study, which was presented in March at a virtual meeting of the American Physical Society, focused on the effects of a signaling molecule called tumor necrosis factor alpha, or TNF. TNF is one of the messengers the immune system uses to ramp up inflammation.
