Tumor necrosis factor (TNF), which was originally identified as a tumoricidal factor, is now regarded as one of the main regulators of inflammation and various immune systems. Thus it has been considered to be mobilized in case of emergency. However, we assume that TNF and the cytokine network driven by the monokine also function under normal condition for homeostasis of the animal body which is exposed to various kinds of physiological stress. To test this possibility, we exposed C3H/He mice for up to 3 days to five types of acute stress: food deprivation, drinking water deprivation, sleep deprivation, swimming, and physical restraint. After release from the stress, the level of priming for systemic production of TNF was examined using OK-432 (a streptococcal preparation) as a trigger. Priming of TNF production was not observed immediately after 2-day exposure to most of the stressors. Sleep deprivation alone tended to induce a primed state especially when the stress period was lengthened to 3 days. On the other hand, by keeping mice in a normal condition for a 2-day restorative interval after 2-day exposure to the stressors, systemic production of TNF was consistently primed for all the stress examined. The time course of the priming effect was examined in detail for water-deprivation stress. The effect was detected as early as 3 hours after release from stress, was sustained for 2 days, and returned to the basal level by 4 days after the release. Based on these results, we discussed the role of the TNF-driven cytokine circuit in adaptation to stress.