LEP and endothelial dysfunction: Hypoxia, in turn, increases the production and release of proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines (MIP-1α and MCP-1), and leptin, inducing the infiltration of immune cells and decreasing local adiponectin production with consequent downregulation of NOS-3, thus favoring endothelial dysfunction (Chatterjee et al., 2009; Greenstein et al., 2009; Ketonen et al., 2010).