TNF and Sepsis: However, although we observed a decreased expression of inflammation markers of IL-6 and TNFα in the liver, we did not see a statistically significant decrease of systemic IL-6 levels by Fc-apelin treatment in LPS mice, which is not in line with the report where systemic levels of IL-6, TNFα and IL-1β are reduced by apelin peptide infusion in a sepsis model of rats38.