Ceramides as mediators of oxidative stress and inflammation in cardiometabolic disease

Ceramides, composed of a sphingosine and a fatty acid, are bioactive lipid molecules involved in many key cellular pathways (e.g., apoptosis, oxidative stress and inflammation). There is much evidence on the relationship between ceramide species and cardiometabolic disease, especially in relationship with the onset and development of diabetes and acute and chronic coronary artery disease. This review reports available evidence on ceramide structure and generation, and discusses their role in cardiometabolic disease, as well as current translational chances and difficulties for ceramide application in the cardiometabolic clinical settings.