MAPK8 and Insulin resistance: Moreover, other studies reported that TNF-α is overexpressed in the adipose tissue of obese individuals [28], and this cytokine activates neuronal cytokine receptors (e.g., TNF-α receptor) that cause aberrant activation of stress-sensitive kinases (c-Jun N-terminal kinase; JNK, IkBα kinase; IKK and double-stranded RNA-dependent protein kinase; PKR), leading to insulin resistance [27,29].