A mechanistic study exploring the molecular links between immune cells, adipocytes, and breast cancer using a 3D co-culture model found that macrophage-conditioned medium promotes the release of pro-inflammatory factors, such as IL-1β and TNF-α, from adipocytes, increasing the expression of matrix metalloproteinases in the microenvironment and enhancing the invasive capacity of breast cancer cells [61]. This evidence concerns the gene TNF and breast cancer.