 Metabolic syndrome is an increasingly prevalent disorder associated with elevated risks of type II DM diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. A subclinical inflammatory state is thought to contribute to the pathophysiology of metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and coronary artery disease CAD. TNF-alpha is an inflammatory cytokine that is increased in a spectrum of inflammatory diseases as well as in insulin resistance. TNF-alpha antagonists are clinically effective in the inflammation of arthritides, but have not been examined in the metabolic syndrome population. Moreover, data suggests that adiponectin, a recently discovered adipocytokine that may protect against the development of insulin resistance and atherosclerosis, may be downregulated by TNF-alpha. We propose a study in which we administer etanercept, a TNF-alpha receptor fusion protein, to subjects with metabolic syndrome to examine its effect on inflammatory markers,CRP, adiponectin and insulin resistance. This would be the first study to investigate the anti-inflammatory properties and insulin sensitizing potential of TNF-alpha blockade on the growing population with metabolic syndrome. 