LEP and endothelial dysfunction: Since hypertension and obesity share some common mechanisms, including an activation of the sympathetic nervous system and of the renin-angiotensin system, insulin resistance, increased leptin levels, systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and oxidative stress [30,31]; it is therefore possible that also in obesity the adaptive immune system might play a relevant role [4,18] and that inflammation/oxidative stress might represent a possible link [32].