TNF and atherosclerosis: A key player of endothelial dysfunction is platelet CD40L, a type II transmembrane protein belonging to the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily expressed on the surface of activated platelets, which induces endothelial cell activation interacting with CD40, inducing an increase in vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) expression [10] and favouring atherosclerosis progression and increased CV risk [11–13].