Brain leptin reduces liver lipids by increasing hepatic triglyceride secretion and lowering lipogenesis.

Hepatic steatosis develops when lipid influx and production exceed the liver's ability to utilize/export triglycerides. Obesity promotes steatosis and is characterized by leptin resistance. A role of leptin in hepatic lipid handling is highlighted by the observation that recombinant leptin reverses steatosis of hypoleptinemic patients with lipodystrophy by an unknown mechanism.