TNF and hydrops fetalis: Myocardial TNF-α level in HF animals did not show any significant change compared to controls at both mRNA (Figure 3B) and protein expression (7.82 ± 2.04 pg/mg of total protein in PS, 8.85 ± 2.36 in OS, 8.53 ± 2.40 in controls, p = ns).