Age modifies the association between body composition and S1P levels in the study of health in pomerania - Nature

IntroductionSphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive molecule involved in different pathways from cell development to disease1,2. S1P relates with several biological processes, including immune trafficking, vascular homeostasis and metabolic pathways, whereas dysregulation of S1P signaling has been implicated in multiple diseases such as cancer, atherosclerosis, diabetes, and osteoporosis3. While extensive research has explored the role of S1P in cardiovascular disease4,5,6, its potential association with obesity—a major global health concern—remains elusive. A growing body of evidence suggests that obesity may influence S1P levels. In genetically obese (ob/ob) mice plasma S1P levels are higher compared to those in lean mice7. Additionally, clinical research has confirmed that markers of adiposity, including total body fat, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, and metabolic parameters such as fasting insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) are positively correlated with plasma S1P concentrations8.