TNF and inflammation: TNF-α is known to aggravate heart inflammation via the upregulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1).20 4-Hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) is a major marker of oxidative stress.21, 22 Salusin-β increased VCAM-1, NOX2 and 4-HNE expression levels, but had no significant effect on NOX4 expression in H9c2 cells (Figures 1a and b).