Differential changes in gene expression in human neutrophils following TNF-α stimulation: Up-regulation of anti-apoptotic proteins and down-regulation of proteins involved in death receptor signaling

Responses of human neutrophils to TNF‐α are complex and multifactorial. Exposure of human neutrophils to TNF‐α in vitro primes the respiratory burst, delays apoptosis and induces the expression of several genes including chemokines, and TNF‐α itself. This study aimed to determine the impact of TNF‐α exposure on the expression of neutrophil genes and proteins that regulate apoptosis. Quantitative PCR and RNA‐Seq, identified changes in expression of several apoptosis regulating genes in response to TNF‐α exposure. Up‐regulated genes included TNF‐α itself, and several anti‐apoptotic genes, including BCL2A1, CFLAR (cFLIP) and TNFAIP3, whose mRNA levels increased above control values by between 4‐20 fold (n = 3, P