Lep Gene Summary [Rat]
Enables hormone activity and peptide hormone receptor binding activity. Involved in several processes, including positive regulation of cell communication; positive regulation of metabolic process; and regulation of apoptotic process. Located in cytosol and extracellular space. Used to study several diseases, including alcohol dependence; glucose metabolism disease (multiple); liver disease (multiple); neurodegenerative disease (multiple); and short bowel syndrome. Biomarker of several diseases, including Huntington's disease; alcohol dependence; lipid metabolism disorder (multiple); liver disease (multiple); and obesity. Human ortholog(s) of this gene implicated in several diseases, including alcohol dependence; congenital leptin deficiency; liver disease (multiple); lung disease (multiple); and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Orthologous to human LEP (leptin). [provided by Alliance of Genome Resources, Jul 2025]
Details
| Type | Protein Coding |
| Official Symbol | Lep |
| Official Name | leptin [Source:RGD Symbol;Acc:3000] |
| Ensembl ID | ENSRNOG00000045797 |
| Bio databases IDs | |
| Aliases | leptin |
| Synonyms | LEPD, Leptin, OB, obese, Obgrp, OBS |
| Species | Rat, Rattus norvegicus |
| Orthologies |
Protein Domains
A protein domain is a distinct structural or functional region within a protein that can evolve, function, and exist independently of the rest of the protein chain. These domains in rat Lep often fold into stable, three-dimensional structures and are associated with specific biological functions, such as binding to DNA, other proteins, or small molecules.
- Leptin
- hormone
- protein binding
- receptor binding
- cytokine
- growth factor
- DNA binding
Pathways
Biological processes and signaling networks where the Lep gene in rat plays a role, providing insight into its function and relevance in health or disease.
- Adipogenesis pathway
- AMPK Signaling
- Dendritic Cell Maturation
- Erythropoietin Signaling
- Estrogen Receptor Signaling
- Hepatic Cholestasis
- Hepatic Fibrosis / Hepatic Stellate Cell Activation
- HMGB1 Signaling
- IL-17 Signaling
- Leptin Signaling in Obesity
- Osteoarthritis Pathway
- RAR Activation
- Role of JAK2 in Hormone-like Cytokine Signaling
- Role of Pattern Recognition Receptors in Recognition of Bacteria and Viruses
- Serotonin Receptor Signaling
Top Findings
The most significant associations for this gene, including commonly observed domains, pathway involvement, and functional highlights based on current data.
disease
- obesity
- liver neoplasia
- cancer
- tumorigenesis
- Parkinson disease
- weight gain
- gastrointestinal neoplasia
- abdominal cancer
- edema
- allergic rhinitis
role in cell
- expression in
- inhibition
- production in
- apoptosis
- formation
- killing
- cell death
- phosphorylation in
- activation in
- autophagy in
Subcellular Expression
Locations within the cell where the protein is known or predicted to be active, providing insight into its function and cellular context.
- Extracellular Space
- low-density microsomal fraction
- cytoplasmic rim
- Cytoplasm
- cell surface
- perinuclear region
- Nucleus
- Endoplasmic Reticulum
- cytosol
- apical cell surfaces
- secretory vesicles
- secretory granules
- plasma
Gene Ontology Annotations
Describes the biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions associated with the rat Lep gene, providing context for its role in the cell.
Biological Process
Functions and activities the gene product is involved in
- regulation of brown fat cell differentiation
- insulin secretion
- negative regulation of appetite
- positive regulation of peroxisome proliferator activated receptor signaling pathway
- determination of adult lifespan
- regulation of angiogenesis
- positive regulation of tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein
- central nervous system neuron development
- regulation of cytokine production involved in inflammatory response
- adult feeding behavior
- glucose metabolic process
- negative regulation of glucagon secretion
- positive regulation of developmental growth
- ovulation from ovarian follicle
- regulation of insulin secretion
- fatty acid beta-oxidation
- response to hypoxia
- positive regulation of ion transport
- cellular response to leptin stimulus
- cellular response to L-ascorbic acid
- energy homeostasis
- positive regulation of tumor necrosis factor production
- regulation of nitric-oxide synthase activity
- regulation of cell cycle
- regulation of intestinal cholesterol absorption
- positive regulation of TOR signaling cascade
- intracellular signal transduction
- negative regulation of appetite by leptin-mediated signaling pathway
- positive regulation of hepatic stellate cell activation
- tyrosine phosphorylation of STAT protein
- positive regulation of protein import into nucleus
- positive regulation of insulin receptor signaling pathway
- bone mineralization involved in bone maturation
- leptin-mediated signaling pathway
- positive regulation of T cell proliferation
- circadian rhythm
- regulation of natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity
- cardiac muscle hypertrophy
- positive regulation of p38MAPK cascade
- positive regulation of JAK-STAT cascade
- T cell differentiation
- positive regulation of interleukin-8 production
- aorta development
- negative regulation of autophagy
- glucose homeostasis
- response to estradiol stimulus
- positive regulation of luteinizing hormone secretion
- response to activity
- prostaglandin secretion
- sexual reproduction
- positive regulation of interleukin-6 production
- positive regulation of protein kinase B signaling cascade
- negative regulation of glutamine transport
- negative regulation of cartilage development
- negative regulation of vasoconstriction
- cholesterol metabolic process
- response to dietary excess
- placenta development
- regulation of lipoprotein lipid oxidation
- bile acid metabolic process
- eating behavior
- cellular response to insulin stimulus
- negative regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter
- response to ethanol
- elastin metabolic process
- intestinal absorption
- response to insulin stimulus
- angiogenesis
- positive regulation of follicle-stimulating hormone secretion
- regulation of steroid biosynthetic process
- positive regulation of reactive oxygen species metabolic process
- response to vitamin E
- negative regulation of glucose import
- energy reserve metabolic process
- female pregnancy
- positive regulation of MAPK cascade
- regulation of gluconeogenesis
- hormone metabolic process
- regulation of blood pressure
- glycerol biosynthetic process
- adipose tissue development
- regulation of natural killer cell activation
- positive regulation of interleukin-12 production
- cellular response to retinoic acid
- regulation of bone remodeling
- negative regulation of apoptotic process
- regulation of natural killer cell proliferation
- positive regulation of protein phosphorylation
- lipid metabolic process
- phagocytosis
- regulation of endothelial cell proliferation
- negative regulation of lipid storage
- leukocyte tethering or rolling
Cellular Component
Where in the cell the gene product is active
- extracellular space
- cytosol
- extracellular region
Molecular Function
What the gene product does at the molecular level
- DNA binding
- protein binding
- peptide hormone receptor binding
- hormone activity