TNF and Obesity: Obesity is associated with a decrease of adiponectin gene expression in adipose tissue and this association can to be linked to the increase of inflammatory status of adipose tissue.61 In addition, TNF-α is known to reduce adiponectin gene expression.62 In addition, since our experimental model was not with obesity or metabolic syndrome, we cannot necessarily expect that the adipocyte is expressing less adiponectin concomitantly with increase leptin.