Among these mediators, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a prototypical proinflammatory cytokine that is found in atherosclerotic lesions, can exert direct effects on vascular endothelial cells to induce the expression of adhesion molecules such as vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) in leukocytes and other inflammatory cells. Here, TNF is linked to Atherosclerotic lesion.