TNF and diabetes mellitus: mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory genes such as monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (Mcp1) was significantly upregulated (Figure 5A), whereas mRNA expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (Tnf-α) and interleukin-1β (Il-1β) was upregulated after 2 weeks in HFD-induced pre-DM mice compared to that in control mice at the respective weeks (Figure 5B,C).