Figure 6.

Circulating Cer16:0 Associated With Vascular Redox State

Univariate correlations between plasma levels of 10 quantified ceramides, vascular redox state, and risk profile of patients in study 1 (A). Plasma C16:0-ceramide (Cer16:0) levels were significantly related with ceramide levels in ThAT but not ScAT (B). Association between plasma Cer16:0 levels and serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels (C; n = 351), O₂^.− production in human IMAs (D; n = 309), endothelial NO oxide uncoupling determined by the N^G-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME)–inhibitable O₂^.− (E; n = 269), and reduced endothelial NO bioavailability measured by the ex vivo vasorelaxations in response to ACh (F; n = 128). There was no association between plasma Cer16:0 and endothelium-independent vasorelaxations of human vessels to SNP (G; n = 123). P values were calculated using the Kruskal-Wallis test (B–D) or 2-way analysis of variance with dose × group interaction terms (F,G). BMI = body mass index; HDL = high-density lipoprotein; HOMA-IR = homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance; LDL = low-density lipoprotein; other abbreviations as in Figures 1, 2, and 5.