DAMP proteins HMGB1 and S100B were identified as potential targets for assessing pro-inflammatory signaling in hibernating ground squirrels because both are highly expressed in adipose tissues, and are upregulated in diet-induced obesity mice models and following high fat diets in mice (Buckman et al., 2014; Song et al., 2014; Ghosh et al., 2016). Here, S100B is linked to Obesity.