TNF and Insulin resistance: However, low-dose endotoxemia induced a rapid and transient 25-fold induction of plasma TNF-alpha and 100-fold increase in plasma IL-6 (Figure 1B) (p < 0.001 for both) both peaking at two hours, followed by modest inflammation in adipose tissue with increases in mRNA levels of several inflammatory genes known to modulate adipose and systemic insulin resistance.