Abstract: This invention relates to a novel physiologically active polypeptide containing modified amino acids on both terminals at the amino-terminus and the carboxy-terminus in the amino acid sequence of the human tumor neclosis factor (human TNF), a recombinant plasmid containing a DNA region encoding the polypeptide, a recombinant microorganism cell transformed with the recombinant plasmid, a method of producing the polypeptide by cultivating the microorganism cell, a pharmaceutical composition containing the polypeptide and a method of purifying and recovering the polypeptide. The polypeptide in this invention has excellent antitumor activity compared to the human TNF and can be utilized as an active ingredient of a pharmaceutical composition having antitumor activity.

Abstract: A method of confirming the diagnosis of Kawasaki disease in a patient which comprises assaying the patient's body fluid for the presence of elevated levels of a substance specifically bound by an anti-tumor necrosis factor monoclonal antibody.

Abstract: A novel physiologically active polypeptide having antitumor activity obtained by improving human tumor necrosis factor (TNF). The amino acid sequence of the polypeptide essentially corresponds to that of human tumor necrosis factor, except that ten amino acids Nos. 1 to 10 are deleted and (Met).sub.n -Arg-Lys-Arg are added to the amino (NH.sub.2)-terminus, where n is 0 or 1. Other amino acid modifications can also be made to the polypeptide while retaining high antitumor activity. The novel polypeptide has less side effects that the natural-type TNF, particularly with respect to cytotoxicity. A a DNA fragment encoding the polypeptide, a recombinant plasmid containing the DNA fragment, a recombinant microorganism cell transformed with the plasmid, a method of producing a novel physiologically active polypeptide using the microorganism cell, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising the polypeptide as an active ingredient are also provided.