Pericellular fibrosis was also positively correlated with HOMA2-IR (ρ = 0.493, P = 0.027) but the level of this fibrosis was not altered in obesity suggesting this may be dependent on insulin sensitivity and may be more prevalent in the later stages of obesity coinciding with manifestation of metabolic syndrome. The gene discussed is INS; the disease is obesity due to melanocortin 4 receptor deficiency.