To gain further insights into the regulation of FIP1 expression in adipose tissue and during adipose tissue dysfunction as it occurs in obesity we cultured human adipose cells in the absence or presence of the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNFα or in media supplemented with 5% (v/v) of macrophage conditioned media obtained after stimulating THP macrophages with LPS for 24hrs. The gene discussed is TNF; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.