In the setting of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, the ectopic disposition of lipids may be
a cause of heart failure. Clinical studies have clearly shown a correlation between the
accumulation of triglycerides and heart dysfunction. In this process, it is likely that there are
also changes in the contents of sphingolipids. Sphingolipids are important structural and
signaling molecules. One specific sphingolipid, ceramide, may cause cardiac dysfunction,
whereas another, sphingosine 1-phosphate, is cardioprotective. In this review, the authors …