IRF5 and Obesity: Thus, adipose IRF5 transcripts in obesity correlate positively with TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, CXCL8/IL-8, CXCL9/MIG, CXCL10/IP10, CCL2/MCP1, CCL5, and CCL7/MCP3, all of which can be elevated in COVID-19 “cytokine storm” (107, 108); positive correlations with IL-2 and IL-12 have been reported by the same group.