TNF and atherosclerosis: Therefore, endothelial dysfunction may induce atherosclerosis development, and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) serves as an inflammatory mediator that can induce endothelial cells to express tissue factor (TF), activating the coagulation reaction, reducing the anti-thrombotic function of endothelial cells, which is causatively involved in the formation and development of atherosclerosis [5,6].