Leptin (LEP) Active Protein

leptin: May function as part of a signaling pathway that acts to regulate the size of the body fat depot. An increase in the level of LEP may act directly or indirectly on the CNS to inhibit food intake and/or regulate energy expenditure as part of a homeostatic mechanism to maintain constancy of the adipose mass. Defects in LEP may be a cause of obesity (OBESITY). It is a condition characterized by an increase of body weight beyond the limitation of skeletal and physical requirements, as the result of excessive accumulation of body fat. Belongs to the leptin family.

Protein type: Secreted, signal peptide; Hormone; Secreted; Cell development/differentiation

Cellular Component: extracellular space; cell; cytoplasm; extracellular region; intracellular

Molecular Function: protein binding; growth factor activity; peptide hormone receptor binding; hormone activity

Biological Process: response to dietary excess; positive regulation of myeloid cell differentiation; regulation of fat cell differentiation; positive regulation of JAK-STAT cascade; regulation of steroid biosynthetic process; negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter; glucose homeostasis; signal transduction; negative regulation of metabolic process; negative regulation of appetite; response to insulin stimulus; positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of Stat3 protein; positive regulation of MAPKKK cascade; regulation of cholesterol absorption; regulation of blood pressure; positive regulation of cell proliferation; positive regulation of ion transport; regulation of metabolic process; central nervous system neuron development; placenta development; cholesterol metabolic process; positive regulation of developmental growth; regulation of protein amino acid phosphorylation; bile acid metabolic process; eating behavior; glucose metabolic process; adult feeding behavior; fatty acid catabolic process; ovulation from ovarian follicle; leptin-mediated signaling pathway; negative regulation of vasoconstriction; tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein; fatty acid beta-oxidation; positive regulation of protein import into nucleus; glycerol biosynthetic process; insulin secretion; energy reserve metabolic process; hormone metabolic process; regulation of gluconeogenesis; positive regulation of insulin receptor signaling pathway; lipid metabolic process; leukocyte tethering or rolling; regulation of insulin secretion; negative regulation of apoptosis