Sex-, age- and obesity-related immunological alterations, such as low type I interferon (IFN) response, increased inflammasome activity, and elevated production of certain cytokines [IL (interleukin)-12, IL-6, TNF (tumor necrosis factor), IL-1ß], have been hypothesized to play a role in influencing disease severity (Giamarellos-Bourboulis et al., 2020). This evidence concerns the gene TNF and obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.