Further analysis suggested that both Akt and mTORC1 contribute to the upregulation of TNFα mRNA during necroptosis as both small-molecule inhibition and siRNA knockdown of Akt and mTOR reduced TNFα mRNA levels in necroptotic cells (Fig. 6B,C,D). Notably, RIP1 and Akt inhibitors had no effect on the levels of TNFα mRNA in control cells or in the cells stimulated with bFGF alone (Fig. 6A,B, Fig. S6C), suggesting that these kinases specifically mediate necroptosis-dependent increase in TNFα synthesis.