LEP and endothelial dysfunction: According to Rodríguez-Carrio et al., the altered Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio in the gut of SLE patients may account for the hyperproduction of free fatty acids (FFAs) that are associated with impaired endothelial dysfunction characterized by increased levels of leptin, interferon gamma-inducible protein-10, epidermal growth factor, IL-8, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 [21].