Ectopic fat is associated with elevated levels of pro-inflammatory adipokines (e.g. tumour-necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and leptin) and lower levels of anti-inflammatory adipokines (e.g. adiponectin) which have been postulated to contribute to the development of IR and T2DM (4–7). Here, ADIPOQ is linked to type 2 diabetes mellitus.