TNF and liver dysplastic nodule: Kidney hypertrophy and hyperfiltration are early and relevant findings of DN, and both are significantly related to TNF-α [81, 87]. In vitro studies demonstrated that TNF-α stimulates the solute uptake in proximal tubular cells secondary to the activation of sodium-dependent cotransporters [88], whereas in vivo studies in diabetic rats found an enhanced urinary excretion of TNF-α excretion, which was related to sodium retention and renal hypertrophy.