TNF and type 2 diabetes mellitus: Our data reveal a strong negative association between fetuin-A levels and those of signature inflammatory mediators or activation markers such as TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-7, IL-15, CCL-2, CCL-4, CXCL-8, CX3CL-1, EFF2, GRO, sCD40L, and VEGF in T2D patients.