LEP and Hypertension: The postulated mechanisms for leptin-induced hypertension development involve stimulating phosphorylation and activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases and phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase to enhance the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, intensifying the effects of angiotensin II through modulating the sympathetic nervous system, initiating leukocyte and macrophage recruitment to the endothelial wall and inducing the synthesis of reactive oxygen species in endothelial cells [65].