In order to explore whether adipose tissue-derived cytokines and lipid mobilising factor are involved in MAC16-induced lipoatrophy, gene expression of TNFα, IL-6 and zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) known as a lipid-mobilising factor, in white fat was determined in tumour-bearing and freely fed animals. This evidence concerns the gene AZGP1 and neoplasm.