Although in the present study cell survival protein expression levels either did not change (pAkt and Bcl-2) or were decreased (Bcl-XL) in high-fat diet mice that also had higher serum leptin levels, in an in vitro study with HTB-26 and ZR75-1 breast cancer cell lines, it was shown that leptin increased the expression levels of pERK (phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and pAkt [41]. The gene discussed is LEP; the disease is breast carcinoma.