ADIPOQ and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency: Hyperinsulinemia, a common consequence of obesity, as well as excess proinflammatory cytokines (such as TNF-α and IL-6) that are produced in obese adipose tissue, has been shown to inhibit adiponectin mRNA expression in adipocytes and may contribute to obesity-related reduction in systemic adiponectin concentrations [16–18].