TNF and inflammation: The characteristic low-grade chronic inflammation in diabetes is the result of the expression and production of numerous inflammatory markers including pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), interleukin 1 (IL1), interleukin 6 (IL6), interleukin 8 (IL8), CRP, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP1) as well as E-selectin and adhesion molecules such as intracellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1).