Abstract: ObjectiveExploring the levels of serum tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)in diet-induced obese rats.MethodsThirty male Sprague-dawley rats were divided into control group and high-fat group randomly,and they were maintained respectively a standard diet and a high-fat diet for 14 weeks.When the study was over,obese rats were sieved according to their body weight gain,then the levels of serum TC,TG,HDL-C and TNF-αwere determined.ResultsThe levels of serum TG,TC,HDL-C and TNF-α in obese rats were 0.92±0.19mmol/L,2.04±0.27mmol/L,0.54± 0.08mmol/L,2.95±0.35ng/ml respectively,they were all higher than those from control rats(P<0.01),and the TNF-α levels correlated significantly with the TG levels(r=0.464,P=0.03),negatively correlated with the HDL-C levels(r=0.683,P=0.02).ConclusionTNF-α perhaps involves in the mechanism of obesity and related complications.