Samenvatting

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are by far the leading cause of death due to non communicable diseases in the world. The development of CVDs in many cases is caused by atherosclerosis. In atherosclerosis, plaques in blood vessels are formed by the excessive accumulation of lipids in the endothelial lining. Besides triglycerides and cholesterol, these atherosclerotic plaques also consist of bioactive lipids which have signaling roles in addition to structural and energetic functions. Among these bioactive lipids, sphingolipids are especially damaging to the blood vessels. A large number of studies suggest that sphingolipids contribute to the development of atherosclerosis by disrupting arterial function and inducing pro-inflammatory pathways. Discoveries in the metabolism of sphingolipids have elucidated several potential therapeutic targets in treating atherosclerosis. These targets focus on lowering sphingolipid levels through several strategies in order to alleviate atherosclerosis. In this review, we present a brief background on the metabolism of sphingolipids and the most recent findings on their contribution to atherosclerosis. Moreover, we give an overview of therapeutic targets in sphingolipid metabolism to treat atherosclerosis and discuss their feasibility.