LEP and metabolic syndrome: In addition, transcriptomic analysis of the eWAT revealed that CLE downregulated lep and Tnf mRNA expression, and upregulated adiponectin and genes encoding adiponectin receptors, such as Adipoq (adiponectin), Adipor (adiponectin receptor) 1 and Adipor2. Adiponectin receptors are thought to play key roles in metabolic syndrome and life span [33].