Differential effects of the tumor necrosis factor alpha-blocker infliximab and etanercept on immunocompetent cells in vitro

► PBMC from some healthy subjects strongly react with TNFα-blocker in vitro. ► Infliximab (I) and etanercept (E) differ in their action on immunocompetent cells. ► I. decreases, E. enhances TNFα-concentrations in PBMC-supernatants. ► Both enhance IL-10, IL-5 and IL-13 production (Th2-reactivity). ► Cytokine production and proliferation of PBMC show strong inter-individual variability.