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Sphingolipids in Adipose: Kin or Foe?

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Sphingolipid Metabolism and Metabolic Disease

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1372))

Abstract

Obesity research has shifted in recent years to address not only the total amount of adipose tissue present in an individual but also to include adipose tissue functions such as endocrine function and thermogenesis. Data suggest that sphingolipids are critical regulators of metabolic homeostasis, and that disruption of their levels is associated with metabolic disease. Abundant data from mouse models has revealed both beneficial and deleterious roles for sphingolipids in adipose function, and numerous human studies have shown that obesity alters circulating sphingolipid profiles. Sphingolipids comprise a large family of interrelated metabolites, and pinpointing specific functions for specific lipids will be required to fully exploit the therapeutic potential of targeting sphingolipids to treat obesity and related disorders.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    Yolander Valentine

  2. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA

    L. Ashley Cowart

  3. Hunter Holmes McGuire Veterans’ Affairs Medical Center, Richmond, VA, USA

    L. Ashley Cowart

Authors
  1. Yolander Valentine
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  2. L. Ashley Cowart
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Correspondence to L. Ashley Cowart .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cell Biology, SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn, NY, USA

    Xian-Cheng Jiang

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Valentine, Y., Cowart, L.A. (2022). Sphingolipids in Adipose: Kin or Foe?. In: Jiang, XC. (eds) Sphingolipid Metabolism and Metabolic Disease. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1372. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-19-0394-6_2

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