LEP and metabolic syndrome: In line with the observed dyslipidemia in the HFFC group, two genes encoding proteins associated with uptake of lipids and cholesterol, ATP-binding cassette subfamily A member 1 (ABCA1) and ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 1 (ABCG1), were upregulated in the VAT of the HFFC group compared with the SD group, as was the expression of the appetite regulator leptin (LEP) (Table 2).