The results obtained from RT-PCR analysis present that the genes related to fat cell formation - leptin, proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), fatty acid synthase (FAS) and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SERBP-1c) - were strongly upregulated in HF rats as compared to the control group (as seen in Fig. 9). Here, LEP is linked to hydrops fetalis.