TNF and Obesity: Although TNFα is known to increase lipolysis in adipocytes (Zhang et al., 2002; Souza et al., 2003; Green et al., 2004; Plomgaard et al., 2008), there is also evidence of a counterinflammatory response in obesity that may serve to repress energy expenditure (Gregor and Hotamisligil, 2011; Saltiel, 2012; Calay and Hotamisligil, 2013; Reilly et al., 2013).