LEP and atherosclerosis: Adipose tissue is considered to be an active endocrine and paracrine proinflammatory organ that releases a large number of cytokines and bioactive mediators, namely, leptin, adiponectin, interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) that influence not only body weight homeostasis but also lipid levels, coagulation, atherosclerosis and diabetes occurrence, insulin resistance, inflammation, oxidative stress, and DR development.