The results suggest that short-term hyperglycemia induces an increase of the output of cytokines IL-6, IL-1Ra, and MCP-1 from adipose tissue, and this deleterious hyperglycemia effect may be attenuated by the diet-induced weight reduction. This lowered responsiveness of the inflammation-related system may be an important feature of the weight reduction-induced improvement of the metabolic status of obese prediabetic individuals.