Sphingolipids in obesity and related complications

Sphingolipids are biologically active lipids ubiquitously produced in all vertebrate cells. Aside from their role as structural components of cell membranes, 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 its associated complications. The regulation of sphingolipids and their may have a great impact on the development of novel therapeutic modalities for a variety of metabolic diseases.