OBJECTIVE:To investigate the role of phospholipase C (PLC), phospholipase A 2 (PLA 2 ), calcium, and protein kinase C (PKC) in mediating leptin-enhanced aggregation of human platelets. DESIGN: In vitro, ex vivo study. SETTING: Outpatient's Service for Prevention and Treatment of Obesity at the University Hospital of Messina, Italy. SUBJECTS: In total, 14 healthy normal-weight male (age 31.471.9 y; body mass index 22.770.6 kg/m 2 ) subjects. MEASUREMENTS: Adenosine diphosphate-(ADP-) induced platelet aggregation and platelet free calcium were measured after incubation of platelets with leptin alone (5-500 ng/ml), or leptin (50 and 100 ng/ml) in combination with anti-human leptin receptor long form antibody (anti-ObRb-Ab, 1:800-1:100 dilutions), PLC inhibitor U73122 (3.125-25 mM), PLA 2 inhibitor AACOCF3 (1.25-10 mM), or PKC inhibitor Ro31-8220 (1.25-10 mM). RESULTS: Platelet stimulation with leptin leads to a significant and dose-dependent increase in ADP-induced platelet aggregation and platelet free calcium concentrations. Leptin effects on both platelet aggregation and calcium mobilization were completely abated by the co-incubation with leptin and anti-ObRb-Ab. Leptin-induced platelet aggregation was dosedependently inhibited by U73122, AACOCF3, or Ro31-8220. The effect of leptin on intracellular calcium was inhibited in a dosedependent manner by incubation with U73122 and AACOCF3, but not with Ro31-8220. CONCLUSIONS: Our study confirms that leptin is able to enhance ADP-induced aggregation of human platelets, and raise the possibility that PLC, PKC, PLA 2 , and calcium could play a relevant role in mediating the proaggregating action of leptin.