Multivariate ANCOVA revealed a significant main association of ‘obesity status’ with mRNA levels of leptin (F1,102 = 8.089, P = 0.005), IL-1β (F1,102 = 5.217, P = 0.024), TNFα (F1,102 = 7.150, P = 0.009), CCL2 (F1,102 = 6.227, P = 0.014), CSF3 (F1,102 = 8.593, P = 0.004), ITGAM (F1,102 = 14.416, P < 0.001) and PLAUR (F1,102 = 10.832, P = 0.001). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.