PTX3 and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Furthermore, our finding that CKD patients with CVD had both higher adipose tissue PTX3 mRNA and plasma PTX3 levels is in line with a recent study in humans demonstrating a relationship between higher PTX3 levels and decreased arterial distensibility in obesity [29] and indirectly supports potential links between adipose tissue, PTX3 and endothelial dysfunction.