Sphingolipids in obesity and related complications.
Sphingolipids are biologically active lipids ubiquitously produced in all vertebrate cells. Asides from structural components of cell membrane, sphingolipids also function as intracellular and extracellular mediators that regulate many important physiological cellular processes including cell survival, proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, migration and immune processes. Recent studies have also indicated that disruption of sphingolipid metabolism is strongly associated with different diseases that exhibit diverse neurological and metabolic consequences. Here, we briefly summarize current evidence for understanding of sphingolipid pathways in obesity and associated complications. The regulation of sphingolipids and their enzymes may have a great impact in the development of novel therapeutic modalities for a variety of metabolic diseases.
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA and Department of Nephrology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
Krishna M
KM
Boini
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298.
Min
M
Xia
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
Saisudha
S
Koka
Department of Nephrology, Virginia Commonwealth University, School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
Todd W B
TW
Gehr
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, 410 N, 12th Street, Richmond, VA, 23298, pli@vcu.edu.
Pin-Lan
PL
Li
D054392:Adipokines / Q000096:biosynthesis; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D002149:Energy Intake; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D058847:Inflammasomes / Q000378:metabolism; D007333:Insulin Resistance; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism*; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D051436:Renal Insufficiency, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000378:metabolism; D013107:Sphingolipids / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*
D054392:Adipokines; D058847:Inflammasomes; D013107:Sphingolipids