title: ALTERED BLOOD SPHINGOLIPIDOMICS AND ELEVATED PLASMA INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES IN COMBAT VETERANS WITH POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER.
abstract: Patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). While chronically elevated plasma cholesterol and pro-inflammatory cytokines levels increase CVD risk, several studies have shown that cholesterol reduction does not reduce CVD risk. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) activation has been implicated in both CVD and major depressive disorder. We investigated plasma pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, ASMase activity, and changes in sphingolipids in PTSD patients compared to healthy controls. Levels of interleukin 6, interleukin 10, interferon-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α were higher in PTSD patients than controls. Plasma ASMase activity and sphingosine 1-phosphate were higher in the PTSD group (1.6-fold and 2-fold, respectively;p<0.05). The results suggest that CVD risk factors in PTSD patients remain high despite cholesterol reduction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425.
authors.forename: Samar M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hammad
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425.
authors.forename: Jean-Philip
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Truman
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425.
authors.forename: Mohammed M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Al Gadban
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425.
authors.forename: Kent J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Regenerative Medicine and Cell Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, SC 29425.
authors.forename: Waleed O
authors.initials: WO
authors.lastname: Twal
authors.affiliation: Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Mental Health Service, Charleston, SC, Medical University of South Carolina, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Charleston, SC 29401.
authors.forename: Mark B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Hamner