TNF and breast cancer: In order to establish the relationship between breast cancer and the obesity micro-environment, we first cultured human mammary epithelial (HME1) cells in their normal medium with a low concentration of adiponectin and high concentrations of leptin, IL-6, TNF-α, and PAI-1 (these cells were labeled as HME1 (AK + I) for adipokines + inflammatory mediators).