Notably, obesity-associated hypermethylation was specific to the adiponectin promoter, whereas methylation levels in the promoters of other genes, including Pparγ2 or Tnfα, were not promptly affected (Supplementary Fig. 1j–u), suggesting that DNA methylation would participate in the obesity-induced alteration of gene expression in a gene-specific manner. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.