Le ceramidi come attori emergenti nella malattia cardiovascolare

An aberrant circulating lipid profile plays a pivotal role in the development and progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Defective lipid metabolism also results in an impairment in ceramide homeostasis, with these sphingolipids accumulating in metabolically active tissues, such as the skeletal muscle, as well as the atherosclerotic plaques. In this regard, ceramides, and particularly ceramides C16:0, C18:0 e C24:1, are emerging as putative players in the pathogenesis of atherosclerotic disease as well as novel biomarkers able to predict cardiovascular risk. Beside these ceramide species, ceramide C24:0 has also been associated with CVD risk but its role in this context remains controversial. The aim of this narrative review is to provide an updated overview on the pathophysiological role of ceramides in the development and progression of CVD and dissect the implication of specific ceramide species as potential independent predictors of cardiovascular risk. Additionally, this manuscript will elucidate whether ceramide metabolism may be modulated through dietary interventions as a strategy to lower CVD risk