Markers of sympathetic nervous system activity associate with complex plasma lipids in metabolic syndrome subjects

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Plasma sphingolipids including ceramides, and gangliosides are associated with insulin resistance (IR) through effects on insulin signalling and glucose metabolism. Our studies of subjects with metabolic syndrome (MetS) showed close relationships between IR and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity including arterial norepinephrine (NE). We have therefore investigated possible associations of IR and SNS activity with complex lipids that are involved in both insulin sensitivity and neurotransmission. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional assessment of 23 lipid classes/subclasses (total 339 lipid species) by tandem mass spectrometry in 94 overweight untreated subject..