Conversely, adiponectin deficiency is shown to induce increases in hepatic ceramide levels, which may account in part for insulin resistance, while adiponectin is shown to increase sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) thus protecting against apoptosis machinery, such as induced by C2-ceramide or palmitate in pancreatic β cells and cardiac myocytes (57). The gene discussed is ADIPOQ; the disease is Insulin resistance.