Figure 1. Correlation between apelin and TNF expression in adipose tissue from both lean and obese humans. A) Human s.c. adipose tissue samples were obtained from 20 patients (40.3±2.2 yr old, BMI: 27.3±1.2 kg/m²) undergoing abdominal lipectomy for plastic surgery. B) Human intra-abdominal adipose tissue samples were obtained from 23 morbidly (grade III) obese subjects (41.3±2.2 yr old, BMI: 45.7±2.9 kg/m²) before a bariatric surgery. Correlations were analyzed using the nonparametric Spearman rank test. C) Primary culture of explants was prepared from human s.c. tissue. Adipocytes were isolated from explants before (time 0) and after 3, 6, 24, and 48 h primary culture (left panel) without (–) or in the presence (+) of 100 nM IBMX (right panel). Results are mean values ± SEM from four separate experiments, *P < 0.05; **P < 0.01 when compared with controls.