Objective: Sphingolipid (SPL) are associated with glucose dysregulation. Here, we examined plasma SPL profiles in relation to insulin action and secretion in Black and White adults.
Methods: Baseline plasma levels of 58 SPLs (ceramides {CER}, monohexosyl-ceramides {MHC}, sphingomyelins {SM}, sphingosine {SO} and dihydro-SO-1-phosphate {DHS1P}) were assayed using LC-MS/MS. Insulin sensitivity was assessed by euglycemic clamp (ISI) and HOMA-IR; insulin secretion by IVGTT (AIR), HOMA-B and disposition index (DI, i.e, AIR × ISI).
Results: We enrolled healthy offspring of parents with T2DM (75 Black, 65 White; mean age 47.7 ± 9.01 y, BMI 30.4 ± 6.12 kg/m2, FPG 92.9 ± 6.86 mg/dl and 2-hrPG 130 ± 28.8 mg/dl. Total SPLs showed no association with ISI or HOMA-IR but was significantly associated with insulin secretion (AIR, r=0.19, P=0.031; DI r=0.21, P=0.038). There were differential associations between individual SPLs and insulin secretion/sensitivity, but 5 of 58 SPLs (SM C16:0, SM C28:0, SM C28:1, SM C30:1 and SM C34:0) showed concurrent associations with both measures (r=0.16-0.37, P=0.04-<0.0001). Four SPLs were significantly associated with insulin secretion corrected for insulin sensitivity: MHC C14:0 (r=0.24, P=0.016); MHC C26:0 (r=0.23, P=0.025); SM C22:0 (r=0.26, P=0.009); DHS1P (r=0.27, P=0.006). Very long chain SMs correlated with BMI, waist circumference, body fat and lean mass (r=0.19-0.25, P=0.03-0.0004). Plasma CERs and SMs showed significant associations with 2hrPG (r=0.17-0.25, P=0.04-0.003) but not FPG.
Conclusion: Circulating SPLs associate differentially with indices of insulin sensitivity, secretion, and adiposity. Of the 58 individual SPLs assayed, MHC C14:0 and C26:0, SM C22:0 and DHS1P showed the strongest association with insulin secretion corrected for insulin sensitivity.
P. Asuzu: None. N. Mandal: None. J. Y. Wan: None. F. B. Stentz: None. S. Dagogo-jack: None.