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Wilkerson JL, Tatum SM, Holland WL, Summers SA. Ceramides are fuel gauges on the drive to cardiometabolic disease. Physiol Rev 2024; 104:1061-1119. [PMID: 38300524 DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00008.2023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Ceramides are signals of fatty acid excess that accumulate when a cell's energetic needs have been met and its nutrient storage has reached capacity. As these sphingolipids accrue, they alter the metabolism and survival of cells throughout the body including in the heart, liver, blood vessels, skeletal muscle, brain, and kidney. These ceramide actions elicit the tissue dysfunction that underlies cardiometabolic diseases such as diabetes, coronary artery disease, metabolic-associated steatohepatitis, and heart failure. Here, we review the biosynthesis and degradation pathways that maintain ceramide levels in normal physiology and discuss how the loss of ceramide homeostasis drives cardiometabolic pathologies. We highlight signaling nodes that sense small changes in ceramides and in turn reprogram cellular metabolism and stimulate apoptosis. Finally, we evaluate the emerging therapeutic utility of these unique lipids as biomarkers that forecast disease risk and as targets of ceramide-lowering interventions that ameliorate disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph L Wilkerson
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
| | - Sean M Tatum
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
| | - William L Holland
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
| | - Scott A Summers
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah, United States
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2
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Dubot P, Sabourdy F, Levade T. Human genetic defects of sphingolipid synthesis. J Inherit Metab Dis 2024. [PMID: 38706107 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
Sphingolipids are ubiquitous lipids, present in the membranes of all cell types, the stratum corneum and the circulating lipoproteins. Autosomal recessive as well as dominant diseases due to disturbed sphingolipid biosynthesis have been identified, including defects in the synthesis of ceramides, sphingomyelins and glycosphingolipids. In many instances, these gene variants result in the loss of catalytic function of the mutated enzymes. Additional gene defects implicate the subcellular localization of the sphingolipid-synthesizing enzyme, the regulation of its activity, or even the function of a sphingolipid-transporter protein. The resulting metabolic alterations lead to two major, non-exclusive types of clinical manifestations: a neurological disease, more or less rapidly progressive, associated or not with intellectual disability, and an ichthyotic-type skin disorder. These phenotypes highlight the critical importance of sphingolipids in brain and skin development and homeostasis. The present article reviews the clinical symptoms, genetic and biochemical alterations, pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic options of this relatively novel group of metabolic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Dubot
- Unité Mixte de Recherche INSERM 1037, CNRS 5071, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, Centre de Recherches en Cancérologie de Toulouse (CRCT), Toulouse, France
- Laboratoire de Biochimie, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
- Centre de Recherches, CHU Sainte-Justine, Université de Montréal, Montréal, Canada
| | - Frédérique Sabourdy
- Unité Mixte de Recherche INSERM 1037, CNRS 5071, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, Centre de Recherches en Cancérologie de Toulouse (CRCT), Toulouse, France
- Laboratoire de Biochimie, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
| | - Thierry Levade
- Unité Mixte de Recherche INSERM 1037, CNRS 5071, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier, Centre de Recherches en Cancérologie de Toulouse (CRCT), Toulouse, France
- Laboratoire de Biochimie, Institut Fédératif de Biologie, CHU Purpan, Toulouse, France
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3
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Gurung RL, M Y, Tham WK, Liu S, Zheng H, Lee J, Ang K, Wenk M, Subramaniam T, Sum CF, Torta F, Liu JJ, Lim SC. Association of plasma ceramide with decline in kidney function in patients with type 2 diabetes. J Lipid Res 2024; 65:100552. [PMID: 38704028 DOI: 10.1016/j.jlr.2024.100552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Circulating ceramide levels are dysregulated in kidney disease. However, their associations with rapid decline in kidney function (RDKF) and end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) are unknown. In this prospective study of 1746 T2D participants, we examined the association of plasma ceramide Cer16:0, Cer18:0, Cer24:0, and Cer24:1 with RDKF, defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline of 5 ml/min/1.73 m2 per year or greater, and ESKD defined as eGFR <15/min/1.73 m2 for at least 3 months, on dialysis or renal death at follow-up. During a median follow-up period of 7.7 years, 197 patients experienced RDKF. Ceramide Cer24:0 (odds ratio [OR] = 0.71, 95% CI 0.56-0.90) and ratios Cer16:0/Cer24:0 (OR = 3.54 [1.70-7.35]), Cer18:0/Cer24:0 (OR = 1.89 [1.10-3.25]), and Cer24:1/Cer24:0 (OR = 4.01 [1.93-8.31]) significantly associated with RDKF in multivariable analysis; 124 patients developed ESKD. The ratios Cer16:0/Cer24:0 (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.10 [1.44-6.64]) and Cer24:1/Cer24:0 (HR = 4.66 [1.93-11.24]) significantly associated with a higher risk of ESKD. The Cer24:1/Cer24:0 ratio improved risk discrimination for ESKD beyond traditional risk factors by small but statistically significant margin (Harrell C-index difference: 0.01; P = 0.022). A high ceramide risk score also associated with RDKF (OR = 2.28 [1.26-4.13]) compared to lower risk score. In conclusion, specific ceramide levels and their ratios are associated with RDKF and conferred an increased risk of ESKD, independently of traditional risk factors, including baseline renal functions in patients with T2D.
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Affiliation(s)
- Resham L Gurung
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disorders, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Yiamunaa M
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wai Kin Tham
- Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme and Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; SLING, Singapore Lipidomics Incubator, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Sylvia Liu
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Huili Zheng
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Janus Lee
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Keven Ang
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Markus Wenk
- Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme and Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; SLING, Singapore Lipidomics Incubator, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Chee Fang Sum
- Diabetes Centre, Admiralty Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Federico Torta
- Precision Medicine Translational Research Programme and Department of Biochemistry, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore; SLING, Singapore Lipidomics Incubator, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jian-Jun Liu
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Su Chi Lim
- Clinical Research Unit, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, Singapore, Singapore; Diabetes Centre, Admiralty Medical Centre, Singapore, Singapore; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, Singapore, Singapore; Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, Singapore.
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4
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Merz N, Hartel JC, Grösch S. How ceramides affect the development of colon cancer: from normal colon to carcinoma. Pflugers Arch 2024:10.1007/s00424-024-02960-x. [PMID: 38635059 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-024-02960-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The integrity of the colon and the development of colon cancer depend on the sphingolipid balance in colon epithelial cells. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on how ceramides and their complex derivatives influence normal colon development and colon cancer development. Ceramides, glucosylceramides and sphingomyelin are essential membrane components and, due to their biophysical properties, can influence the activation of membrane proteins, affecting protein-protein interactions and downstream signalling pathways. Here, we review the cellular mechanisms known to be affected by ceramides and their effects on colon development. We also describe which ceramides are deregulated during colorectal carcinogenesis, the molecular mechanisms involved in ceramide deregulation and how this affects carcinogenesis. Finally, we review new methods that are now state of the art for studying lipid-protein interactions in the physiological environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadine Merz
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jennifer Christina Hartel
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Grösch
- Goethe-University Frankfurt, Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Theodor Stern Kai 7, 60590, Frankfurt, Germany.
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, 60596, Frankfurt Am Main, Germany.
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Wohlwend M, Laurila PP, Goeminne LJE, Lima T, Daskalaki I, Li X, von Alvensleben G, Crisol B, Mangione R, Gallart-Ayala H, Lalou A, Burri O, Butler S, Morris J, Turner N, Ivanisevic J, Auwerx J. Inhibition of CERS1 in skeletal muscle exacerbates age-related muscle dysfunction. eLife 2024; 12:RP90522. [PMID: 38506902 PMCID: PMC10954306 DOI: 10.7554/elife.90522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Age-related muscle wasting and dysfunction render the elderly population vulnerable and incapacitated, while underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Here, we implicate the CERS1 enzyme of the de novo sphingolipid synthesis pathway in the pathogenesis of age-related skeletal muscle impairment. In humans, CERS1 abundance declines with aging in skeletal muscle cells and, correlates with biological pathways involved in muscle function and myogenesis. Furthermore, CERS1 is upregulated during myogenic differentiation. Pharmacological or genetic inhibition of CERS1 in aged mice blunts myogenesis and deteriorates aged skeletal muscle mass and function, which is associated with the occurrence of morphological features typical of inflammation and fibrosis. Ablation of the CERS1 orthologue lagr-1 in Caenorhabditis elegans similarly exacerbates the age-associated decline in muscle function and integrity. We discover genetic variants reducing CERS1 expression in human skeletal muscle and Mendelian randomization analysis in the UK biobank cohort shows that these variants reduce muscle grip strength and overall health. In summary, our findings link age-related impairments in muscle function to a reduction in CERS1, thereby underlining the importance of the sphingolipid biosynthesis pathway in age-related muscle homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Wohlwend
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Pirkka-Pekka Laurila
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Ludger JE Goeminne
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Tanes Lima
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Ioanna Daskalaki
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Xiaoxu Li
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Giacomo von Alvensleben
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Barbara Crisol
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Renata Mangione
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Hector Gallart-Ayala
- Metabolomics Platform, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne (UNIL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Amélia Lalou
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
| | - Olivier Burri
- Bioimaging and optics platform, École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Stephen Butler
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Jonathan Morris
- School of Chemistry, University of New South Wales SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Nigel Turner
- Cellular Bioenergetics Laboratory, Victor Chang Cardiac Research InstituteDarlinghurstAustralia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of New South Wales SydneySydneyAustralia
| | - Julijana Ivanisevic
- Metabolomics Platform, Faculty of Biology and Medicine, University of Lausanne (UNIL)LausanneSwitzerland
| | - Johan Auwerx
- Laboratory of Integrative Systems Physiology, École Polytechnique Fédérale de LausanneLausanneSwitzerland
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Jurczak P, Zhukov I, Orlikowska M, Czaplewska P, Sikorska E. Monitoring the interactions between POPG phospholipid bilayer and amyloid-forming protein human cystatin C. Does the bilayer influence the oligomeric state and structure of the protein? BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. BIOMEMBRANES 2024; 1866:184285. [PMID: 38237885 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2024.184285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
A biological membrane is a structure characteristic for various cells and organelles present in almost all living organisms. Even though, it is one of the most common structures in organisms, where it serves crucial functions, a phospholipid bilayer may also take part in pathological processes leading to severe diseases. Research indicates that biological membranes have a profound impact on the pathological processes of oligomerization of amyloid-forming proteins. These processes are a hallmark of amyloid diseases, a group of pathological states involving, e.g., Parkinson's or Alzheimer's disease. Even though amyloidogenic diseases reap the harvest in modern societies, especially in elderly patients, the mechanisms governing the amyloid deposition are not clearly described. Therefore, the presented study focuses on the description of interactions between a model biological membrane (POPG) and one of amyloid forming proteins - human cystatin C. For the purpose of the study molecular dynamics simulations were applied to confirm interactions between the protein and POPG membrane. Next the NMR techniques were used to verify how the data obtained in solution compared to MD simulations and determine fragments of the protein responsible for interactions with POPG. Finally, circular dichroism was used to monitor the changes in secondary structure of the protein and size exclusion chromatography was used to monitor its oligomerization process. Obtained data indicates that the protein interacts with POPG submerging itself into the bilayer with the AS region. However, the presence of POPG bilayer does not significantly affect the structure or oligomerization process of human cystatin C.
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Affiliation(s)
- Przemyslaw Jurczak
- Mossakowski Medical Research Centre Polish Academy of Sciences, Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Nephrology, Gdansk, Poland; Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Igor Zhukov
- Biological NMR Facility, Institute of Biochemistry and Bioscience, Polish Academy of Science, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Marta Orlikowska
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland
| | - Paulina Czaplewska
- Specialist Laboratories, Intercollegiate Faculty of Biotechnology UG&MUG, Gdansk, Poland.
| | - Emilia Sikorska
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdansk, Gdansk, Poland.
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7
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Xie T, Fang Q, Zhang Z, Wang Y, Dong F, Gong X. Structure and mechanism of a eukaryotic ceramide synthase complex. EMBO J 2023; 42:e114889. [PMID: 37953642 PMCID: PMC10711658 DOI: 10.15252/embj.2023114889] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2023] [Revised: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Ceramide synthases (CerS) catalyze ceramide formation via N-acylation of a sphingoid base with a fatty acyl-CoA and are attractive drug targets for treating numerous metabolic diseases and cancers. Here, we present the cryo-EM structure of a yeast CerS complex, consisting of a catalytic Lac1 subunit and a regulatory Lip1 subunit, in complex with C26-CoA substrate. The CerS holoenzyme exists as a dimer of Lac1-Lip1 heterodimers. Lac1 contains a hydrophilic reaction chamber and a hydrophobic tunnel for binding the CoA moiety and C26-acyl chain of C26-CoA, respectively. Lip1 interacts with both the transmembrane region and the last luminal loop of Lac1 to maintain the proper acyl chain binding tunnel. A lateral opening on Lac1 serves as a potential entrance for the sphingoid base substrate. Our findings provide a template for understanding the working mechanism of eukaryotic ceramide synthases and may facilitate the development of therapeutic CerS modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Xie
- Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life SciencesSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Qi Fang
- Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life SciencesSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Zike Zhang
- Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life SciencesSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Yanfei Wang
- Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life SciencesSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Feitong Dong
- Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life SciencesSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
| | - Xin Gong
- Department of Chemical Biology, School of Life SciencesSouthern University of Science and TechnologyShenzhenChina
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8
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Kale D, Fatangare A, Phapale P, Sickmann A. Blood-Derived Lipid and Metabolite Biomarkers in Cardiovascular Research from Clinical Studies: A Recent Update. Cells 2023; 12:2796. [PMID: 38132115 PMCID: PMC10741540 DOI: 10.3390/cells12242796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
The primary prevention, early detection, and treatment of cardiovascular disease (CVD) have been long-standing scientific research goals worldwide. In the past decades, traditional blood lipid profiles have been routinely used in clinical practice to estimate the risk of CVDs such as atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) and as treatment targets for the primary prevention of adverse cardiac events. These blood lipid panel tests often fail to fully predict all CVD risks and thus need to be improved. A comprehensive analysis of molecular species of lipids and metabolites (defined as lipidomics and metabolomics, respectively) can provide molecular insights into the pathophysiology of the disease and could serve as diagnostic and prognostic indicators of disease. Mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based lipidomics and metabolomics analysis have been increasingly used to study the metabolic changes that occur during CVD pathogenesis. In this review, we provide an overview of various MS-based platforms and approaches that are commonly used in lipidomics and metabolomics workflows. This review summarizes the lipids and metabolites in human plasma/serum that have recently (from 2018 to December 2022) been identified as promising CVD biomarkers. In addition, this review describes the potential pathophysiological mechanisms associated with candidate CVD biomarkers. Future studies focused on these potential biomarkers and pathways will provide mechanistic clues of CVD pathogenesis and thus help with the risk assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of CVD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipali Kale
- Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V., 44139 Dortmund, Germany; (A.F.); (P.P.)
| | | | | | - Albert Sickmann
- Leibniz-Institut für Analytische Wissenschaften-ISAS-e.V., 44139 Dortmund, Germany; (A.F.); (P.P.)
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9
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Koutsogiannis Z, Mina JG, Albus CA, Kol MA, Holthuis JM, Pohl E, Denny PW. Toxoplasma ceramide synthases: Gene duplication, functional divergence, and roles in parasite fitness. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23229. [PMID: 37795915 PMCID: PMC10946778 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202201603rrr] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is an obligate, intracellular apicomplexan protozoan parasite of both humans and animals that can cause fetal damage and abortion and severe disease in the immunosuppressed. Sphingolipids have indispensable functions as signaling molecules and are essential and ubiquitous components of eukaryotic membranes that are both synthesized and scavenged by the Apicomplexa. Ceramide is the precursor for all sphingolipids, and here we report the identification, localization and analyses of the Toxoplasma ceramide synthases TgCerS1 and TgCerS2. Interestingly, we observed that while TgCerS1 was a fully functional orthologue of the yeast ceramide synthase (Lag1p) capable of catalyzing the conversion of sphinganine to ceramide, in contrast TgCerS2 was catalytically inactive. Furthermore, genomic deletion of TgCerS1 using CRISPR/Cas-9 led to viable but slow-growing parasites indicating its importance but not indispensability. In contrast, genomic knock out of TgCerS2 was only accessible utilizing the rapamycin-inducible Cre recombinase system. Surprisingly, the results demonstrated that this "pseudo" ceramide synthase, TgCerS2, has a considerably greater role in parasite fitness than its catalytically active orthologue (TgCerS1). Phylogenetic analyses indicated that, as in humans and plants, the ceramide synthase isoforms found in Toxoplasma and other Apicomplexa may have arisen through gene duplication. However, in the Apicomplexa the duplicated copy is hypothesized to have subsequently evolved into a non-functional "pseudo" ceramide synthase. This arrangement is unique to the Apicomplexa and further illustrates the unusual biology that characterize these protozoan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - John G. Mina
- Department of BiosciencesDurham UniversityDurhamUK
| | | | - Matthijs A. Kol
- Molecular Cell Biology Division, Department of Biology/ChemistryUniversity of OsnabrückOsnabrückGermany
| | - Joost C. M. Holthuis
- Molecular Cell Biology Division, Department of Biology/ChemistryUniversity of OsnabrückOsnabrückGermany
| | - Ehmke Pohl
- Department of BiosciencesDurham UniversityDurhamUK
- Department of ChemistryDurham UniversityDurhamUK
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10
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Zhu XM, Li L, Bao JD, Wang JY, Daskalov A, Liu XH, Del Poeta M, Lin FC. The biological functions of sphingolipids in plant pathogenic fungi. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011733. [PMID: 37943805 PMCID: PMC10635517 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Sphingolipids are critically significant in a range of biological processes in animals, plants, and fungi. In mammalian cells, they serve as vital components of the plasma membrane (PM) in maintaining its structure, tension, and fluidity. They also play a key role in a wide variety of biological processes, such as intracellular signal transduction, cell polarization, differentiation, and migration. In plants, sphingolipids are important for cell development and for cell response to environmental stresses. In pathogenic fungi, sphingolipids are crucial for the initiation and the development of infection processes afflicting humans. However, our knowledge on the metabolism and function of the sphingolipid metabolic pathway of pathogenic fungi affecting plants is still very limited. In this review, we discuss recent developments on sphingolipid pathways of plant pathogenic fungi, highlighting their uniqueness and similarity with plants and animals. In addition, we discuss recent advances in the research and development of fungal-targeted inhibitors of the sphingolipid pathway, to gain insights on how we can better control the infection process occurring in plants to prevent or/and to treat fungal infections in crops.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Ming Zhu
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian-Dong Bao
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiao-Yu Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Asen Daskalov
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, United States of America
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, New York, United States of America
| | - Fu-Cheng Lin
- State Key Laboratory for Managing Biotic and Chemical Treats to the Quality and Safety of Agro-products, Institute of Plant Protection and Microbiology, Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Rice Biology, Institute of Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
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11
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Kim SJ, Seo I, Kim MH, Park JW, Kim S, Park WJ. Ceramide synthase 4 overexpression exerts oncogenic properties in breast cancer. Lipids Health Dis 2023; 22:183. [PMID: 37885013 PMCID: PMC10605224 DOI: 10.1186/s12944-023-01930-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ceramide, a bioactive signaling sphingolipid, has long been implicated in cancer. Members of the ceramide synthase (CerS) family determine the acyl chain lengths of ceramides, with ceramide synthase 4 (CerS4) primarily generating C18-C20-ceramide. Although CerS4 is known to be overexpressed in breast cancer, its role in breast cancer pathogenesis is not well established. METHODS To investigate the role of CerS4 in breast cancer, public datasets, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and two Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets (GSE115577 and GSE96058) were analyzed. Furthermore, MCF-7 cells stably overexpressing CerS4 (MCF-7/CerS4) as a model for luminal subtype A (LumA) breast cancer were produced, and doxorubicin (also known as Adriamycin [AD])-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells were generated after prolonged treatment of MCF-7 cells with doxorubicin. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis assessed the clinical significance of CERS4 expression, while Student's t-tests or Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) compared gene expression and cell viability in different MCF-7 cell lines. RESULTS Analysis of the public datasets revealed elevated CERS4 expression in breast cancer, especially in the most common breast cancer subtype, LumA. Persistent CerS4 overexpression in MCF-7 cells activated multiple cancer-associated pathways, including pathways involving sterol regulatory element-binding protein, nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and β-catenin. Furthermore, MCF-7/CerS4 cells acquired doxorubicin, paclitaxel, and tamoxifen resistance, with concomitant upregulation of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporter genes, such as ABCB1, ABCC1, ABCC2, ABCC4, and ABCG2. MCF-7/CerS4 cells were characterized by increased cell migration and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Finally, CERS4 knockdown in doxorubicin-resistant MCF-7/ADR cells resulted in reduced activation of cancer-associated pathways (NF-κB, Akt/mTOR, β-catenin, and EMT) and diminished chemoresistance, accompanied by ABCB1 and ABCC1 downregulation. CONCLUSIONS Chronic CerS4 overexpression may exert oncogenic effects in breast cancer via alterations in signaling, EMT, and chemoresistance. Therefore, CerS4 may represent an attractive target for anticancer therapy, especially in LumA breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Su-Jeong Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Heukseok-lo 84, DongJak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea
| | - Incheol Seo
- Department of Immunology, Kyungpook National University School of Medicine, Daegu, 41944, Republic of Korea
| | - Min Hee Kim
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 07804, Republic of Korea
| | - Joo-Won Park
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Ewha Womans University, Seoul, 07804, Republic of Korea
| | - Shin Kim
- Department of Immunology, School of Medicine, Keimyung University, Dalgubeol-daero 1095, Dalseo-gu, Daegu, 42601, Republic of Korea.
| | - Woo-Jae Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Heukseok-lo 84, DongJak-gu, Seoul, 06974, Republic of Korea.
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12
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Boyd RA, Majumder S, Stiban J, Mavodza G, Straus AJ, Kempelingaiah SK, Reddy V, Hannun YA, Obeid LM, Senkal CE. The heat shock protein Hsp27 controls mitochondrial function by modulating ceramide generation. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113081. [PMID: 37689067 PMCID: PMC10591768 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Sphingolipids have key functions in membrane structure and cellular signaling. Ceramide is the central molecule of the sphingolipid metabolism and is generated by ceramide synthases (CerS) in the de novo pathway. Despite their critical function, mechanisms regulating CerS remain largely unknown. Using an unbiased proteomics approach, we find that the small heat shock protein 27 (Hsp27) interacts specifically with CerS1 but not other CerS. Functionally, our data show that Hsp27 acts as an endogenous inhibitor of CerS1. Wild-type Hsp27, but not a mutant deficient in CerS1 binding, inhibits CerS1 activity. Additionally, silencing of Hsp27 enhances CerS1-generated ceramide accumulation in cells. Moreover, phosphorylation of Hsp27 modulates Hsp27-CerS1 interaction and CerS1 activity in acute stress-response conditions. Biologically, we show that Hsp27 knockdown impedes mitochondrial function and induces lethal mitophagy in a CerS1-dependent manner. Overall, we identify an important mode of CerS1 regulation and CerS1-mediated mitophagy through protein-protein interaction with Hsp27.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowan A Boyd
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23398, USA
| | - Saurav Majumder
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23398, USA
| | - Johnny Stiban
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23398, USA; Department of Biology and Biochemistry, Birzeit University, Ramallah, Palestine
| | - Grace Mavodza
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23398, USA
| | - Alexandra J Straus
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23398, USA
| | - Sachin K Kempelingaiah
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23398, USA
| | - Varun Reddy
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Yusuf A Hannun
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Lina M Obeid
- Stony Brook Cancer Center, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA; Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Northport, NY 11768, USA
| | - Can E Senkal
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23398, USA; Massey Cancer Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23398, USA.
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13
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Alizadeh J, da Silva Rosa SC, Weng X, Jacobs J, Lorzadeh S, Ravandi A, Vitorino R, Pecic S, Zivkovic A, Stark H, Shojaei S, Ghavami S. Ceramides and ceramide synthases in cancer: Focus on apoptosis and autophagy. Eur J Cell Biol 2023; 102:151337. [PMID: 37392580 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2023.151337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Different studies corroborate a role for ceramide synthases and their downstream products, ceramides, in modulation of apoptosis and autophagy in the context of cancer. These mechanisms of regulation, however, appear to be context dependent in terms of ceramides' fatty acid chain length, subcellular localization, and the presence or absence of their downstream targets. Our current understanding of the role of ceramide synthases and ceramides in regulation of apoptosis and autophagy could be harnessed to pioneer the development of new treatments to activate or inhibit a single type of ceramide synthase, thereby regulating the apoptosis induction or cross talk of apoptosis and autophagy in cancer cells. Moreover, the apoptotic function of ceramide suggests that ceramide analogues can pave the way for the development of novel cancer treatments. Therefore, in the current review paper we discuss the impact of ceramide synthases and ceramides in regulation of apoptosis and autophagy in context of different types of cancers. We also briefly introduce the latest information on ceramide synthase inhibitors, their application in diseases including cancer therapy, and discuss approaches for drug discovery in the field of ceramide synthase inhibitors. We finally discussed strategies for developing strategies to use lipids and ceramides analysis in biological fluids for developing early biomarkers for cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Javad Alizadeh
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Simone C da Silva Rosa
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Xiaohui Weng
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA 92834, United States
| | - Joadi Jacobs
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Shahrokh Lorzadeh
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Amir Ravandi
- Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, 66 Chancellors Cir, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Rui Vitorino
- UnIC, Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal; Department of Medical Sciences, Institute of Biomedicine iBiMED, University of Aveiro, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Stevan Pecic
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, California State University, Fullerton, 800 N. State College, Fullerton, CA 92834, United States
| | - Aleksandra Zivkovic
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitaetstrasse 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Holger Stark
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitaetstrasse 1, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany
| | - Shahla Shojaei
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Saeid Ghavami
- Department of Human Anatomy and Cell Science, Max Rady College of Medicine, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada; Faculty of Medicine in Zabrze, University of Technology in Katowice, 41-800 Zabrze, Poland; Research Institute of Oncology and Hematology, Cancer Care Manitoba, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada.
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14
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Rigamonti AE, Dei Cas M, Caroli D, Bondesan A, Cella SG, Paroni R, Sartorio A. Ceramide Risk Score in the Evaluation of Metabolic Syndrome: An Additional or Substitutive Biochemical Marker in the Clinical Practice? Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12452. [PMID: 37569827 PMCID: PMC10420317 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Ceramide risk score (CERT1, ceramide test 1), based on specific ceramides (Cers) and their corresponding ratios in the plasma, has been reported as a promising biochemical marker for primary and secondary prediction of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in different populations of patients. Thus far, limited attention has been paid to metabolic syndrome, a condition considered at high CVD risk. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CERT1 in a group of obese subjects without (OB-MetS-) and with (OB-MetS+) metabolic syndrome (according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) diagnostic criteria), compared to an age- and sex-matched normal-weight (NW) group. In all participants, plasma levels of Cer 16:0, Cer 18:0, Cer 24:1, and Cer 24:0 were measured, and the corresponding ratios Cer 16:0/24:0, Cer 18:0/24:0, and Cer 24:1/24:0 were calculated together with CERT1. Subjects with obesity showed higher CERT1 values than the NW group (p < 0.05), with no difference between OB-MetS- and OB-MetS+ groups. Waist circumference (WC), homeostatic model assessment of insulin-resistance (HOMA-IR) (surrogates of IDF diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome), and C reactive protein (CRP) (a marker of inflammation) were predictors of CERT1 (p < 0.05), with the contribution of the other IDF criteria such as arterial hypertension and dyslipidemia being negligible. Adjustment for WC resulted in a loss of the difference in CERT1 between OB-MetS- and NW subjects, with the combination of WC and HOMA-IR or CRP as covariates being necessary to yield the same effect for the difference in CERT1 between OB-MetS+ and NW subjects. Importantly, an association was found between CERT1 and vascular age (VA) (p < 0.05). Proportions of NW, OB-MetS- and OB-MetS+ subjects appeared to be distributed according to the CERT1-based risk groups (i.e., low, moderate, increased, and high risk; p < 0.05), with some OB-MetS- subjects included in the increased/high-risk group and some OB-MetS+ in the low/moderate-risk one. In conclusion, the clinical diagnosis of metabolic syndrome seems to be inaccurate to assess CVD risk in the obese population; however, further studies are needed before considering CERT1 as an additional or substitutive biochemical marker in clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonello E. Rigamonti
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milan, Italy;
| | - Michele Dei Cas
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20142 Milan, Italy; (M.D.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Diana Caroli
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, 28824 Piancavallo-Verbania, Italy; (D.C.); (A.B.); (A.S.)
| | - Adele Bondesan
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, 28824 Piancavallo-Verbania, Italy; (D.C.); (A.B.); (A.S.)
| | - Silvano G. Cella
- Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20129 Milan, Italy;
| | - Rita Paroni
- Department of Health Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20142 Milan, Italy; (M.D.C.); (R.P.)
| | - Alessandro Sartorio
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, 28824 Piancavallo-Verbania, Italy; (D.C.); (A.B.); (A.S.)
- Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Experimental Laboratory for Auxo-Endocrinological Research, 20145 Milan, Italy
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15
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Li D, Tian L, Nan P, Zhang J, Zheng Y, Jia X, Gong Y, Wu Z. CerS6 triggered by high glucose activating the TLR4/IKKβ pathway regulates ferroptosis of LO2 cells through mitochondrial oxidative stress. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2023; 572:111969. [PMID: 37230220 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2023.111969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Lipid metabolism disorders and mitochondrial dysfunction contribute to the progression of diabetes and chronic liver disease (CLD). Ferroptosis, as a form of cell death centered on reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and lipid peroxidation, is closely related to mitochondrial dysfunction. However, whether there exists mechanistic links between these processes remains unknown. Here, to explore the molecular mechanism of diabetes complicated with CLD, we showed that high glucose could restrain the activity of antioxidant enzymes, promote mitochondrial ROS (mtROS) production, and induce a state of oxidative stress in the mitochondria of human normal liver (LO2) cells. We demonstrated that high glucose induced ferroptosis and promoted the development of CLD, which was reversed by the ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1). In addition, the mitochondria-targeting antioxidant Mito-TEMPO was used to intervene LO2 cells in high-glucose culture, and ferroptosis was found to be inhibited, whereas markers of liver injury and fibrosis improved. Furthermore, high glucose could promote ceramide synthetase 6 (CerS6) synthesis through the TLR4/IKKβ pathway. The knockout of CerS6 in LO2 cells showed that mitochondrial oxidative stress was attenuated, ferroptosis was inhibited, and markers of liver injury and fibrosis were ameliorated. In contrast, the overexpression of CerS6 in LO2 cells showed the opposite changes and these changes were inhibited by Mito-TEMPO. In short, we positioned the study of lipid metabolism to a specific enzyme CerS6, with a high degree of specificity. Our findings revealed the mechanism by which the mitochondria act as a bridge linking CerS6 and ferroptosis, confirming that under high glucose conditions, CerS6 promotes ferroptosis through mitochondrial oxidative stress, eventually leading to CLD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dan Li
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - Ling Tian
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - Ping Nan
- Department of Obster & Gynecol, Shengli Oilfield Central Hospital, 31 Jinan Road, Dongying, 257000, Shandong, China
| | - Jun Zhang
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - Yin Zheng
- Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China
| | - Xinxin Jia
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - Yihui Gong
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300134, China
| | - Zhongming Wu
- NHC Key Laboratory of Hormones and Development, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Metabolic Diseases, Chu Hsien-I Memorial Hospital & Tianjin Institute of Endocrinology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300134, China; Department of Endocrinology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China; Shandong Institute of Endocrine & Metabolic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
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16
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Teo JD, Marian OC, Spiteri AG, Nicholson M, Song H, Khor JXY, McEwen HP, Ge A, Sen MK, Piccio L, Fletcher JL, King NJC, Murray SS, Brüning JC, Don AS. Early microglial response, myelin deterioration and lethality in mice deficient for very long chain ceramide synthesis in oligodendrocytes. Glia 2023; 71:1120-1141. [PMID: 36583573 PMCID: PMC10952316 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 11/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The sphingolipids galactosylceramide (GalCer), sulfatide (ST) and sphingomyelin (SM) are essential for myelin stability and function. GalCer and ST are synthesized mostly from C22-C24 ceramides, generated by Ceramide Synthase 2 (CerS2). To clarify the requirement for C22-C24 sphingolipid synthesis in myelin biosynthesis and stability, we generated mice lacking CerS2 specifically in myelinating cells (CerS2ΔO/ΔO ). At 6 weeks of age, normal-appearing myelin had formed in CerS2ΔO/ΔO mice, however there was a reduction in myelin thickness and the percentage of myelinated axons. Pronounced loss of C22-C24 sphingolipids in myelin of CerS2ΔO/ΔO mice was compensated by greatly increased levels of C18 sphingolipids. A distinct microglial population expressing high levels of activation and phagocytic markers such as CD64, CD11c, MHC class II, and CD68 was apparent at 6 weeks of age in CerS2ΔO/ΔO mice, and had increased by 10 weeks. Increased staining for denatured myelin basic protein was also apparent in 6-week-old CerS2ΔO/ΔO mice. By 16 weeks, CerS2ΔO/ΔO mice showed pronounced myelin atrophy, motor deficits, and axon beading, a hallmark of axon stress. 90% of CerS2ΔO/ΔO mice died between 16 and 26 weeks of age. This study highlights the importance of sphingolipid acyl chain length for the structural integrity of myelin, demonstrating how a modest reduction in lipid chain length causes exposure of a denatured myelin protein epitope and expansion of phagocytic microglia, followed by axon pathology, myelin degeneration, and motor deficits. Understanding the molecular trigger for microglial activation should aid the development of therapeutics for demyelinating and neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan D. Teo
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Oana C. Marian
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Alanna G. Spiteri
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Madeline Nicholson
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | - Huitong Song
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Jasmine X. Y. Khor
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Holly P. McEwen
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Anjie Ge
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Monokesh K. Sen
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Laura Piccio
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
- Department of NeurologyWashington University School of MedicineSt LouisMissouriUSA
| | - Jessica L. Fletcher
- Menzies Institute for Medical ResearchThe University of TasmaniaHobartTasmaniaAustralia
| | - Nicholas J. C. King
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
| | - Simon S. Murray
- Department of Anatomy and PhysiologyThe University of MelbourneParkvilleVictoriaAustralia
| | | | - Anthony S. Don
- Charles Perkins Centre and School of Medical SciencesThe University of SydneyCamperdownNew South WalesAustralia
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Zhang M, Li Z, Liu Y, Ding X, Wang Y, Fan S. The ceramide synthase (CERS/LASS) family: Functions involved in cancer progression. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023:10.1007/s13402-023-00798-6. [PMID: 36947340 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-023-00798-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ceramide synthases (CERSes) are also known longevity assurance (LASS) genes. CERSes play important roles in the regulation of cancer progression. The CERS family is expressed in a variety of human tumours and is involved in tumorigenesis. They are closely associated with the progression of liver, breast, cervical, ovarian, colorectal, head and neck squamous cell, gastric, lung, prostate, oesophageal, pancreatic and blood cancers. CERSes play diverse and important roles in the regulation of cell survival, proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion, and drug resistance. The differential expression of CERSes in tumour and nontumour cells and survival analysis of cancer patients suggest that some CERSes could be used as potential prognostic markers. They are also important potential targets for cancer therapy. METHODS In this review, we summarize the available evidence on the inhibitory or promotive roles of CERSes in the progression of many cancers. Furthermore, we summarize the identified upstream and downstream molecular mechanisms that may regulate the function of CERSes in cancer settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengmeng Zhang
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221116, China
| | - Zhangyun Li
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221116, China
| | - Yuwei Liu
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221116, China
| | - Xiao Ding
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221116, China
| | - Yanyan Wang
- Department of Ultrasonic Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Xuzhou, Xuzhou Municipal Hospital Affiliated to Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221000, China.
| | - Shaohua Fan
- School of Life Science, Jiangsu Normal University, Xuzhou, Jiangsu, 221116, China.
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18
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Cross-Regulation of the Cellular Redox System, Oxygen, and Sphingolipid Signalling. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13030426. [PMID: 36984866 PMCID: PMC10054022 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13030426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Redox-active mediators are now appreciated as powerful molecules to regulate cellular dynamics such as viability, proliferation, migration, cell contraction, and relaxation, as well as gene expression under physiological and pathophysiological conditions. These molecules include the various reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the gasotransmitters nitric oxide (NO∙), carbon monoxide (CO), and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). For each of these molecules, direct targets have been identified which transmit the signal from the cellular redox state to a cellular response. Besides these redox mediators, various sphingolipid species have turned out as highly bioactive with strong signalling potential. Recent data suggest that there is a cross-regulation existing between the redox mediators and sphingolipid molecules that have a fundamental impact on a cell’s fate and organ function. This review will summarize the effects of the different redox-active mediators on sphingolipid signalling and metabolism, and the impact of this cross-talk on pathophysiological processes. The relevance of therapeutic approaches will be highlighted.
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19
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Ruze R, Liu T, Zou X, Song J, Chen Y, Xu R, Yin X, Xu Q. Obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus: connections in epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatments. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2023; 14:1161521. [PMID: 37152942 PMCID: PMC10161731 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2023.1161521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 52.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of obesity and diabetes mellitus (DM) has been consistently increasing worldwide. Sharing powerful genetic and environmental features in their pathogenesis, obesity amplifies the impact of genetic susceptibility and environmental factors on DM. The ectopic expansion of adipose tissue and excessive accumulation of certain nutrients and metabolites sabotage the metabolic balance via insulin resistance, dysfunctional autophagy, and microbiome-gut-brain axis, further exacerbating the dysregulation of immunometabolism through low-grade systemic inflammation, leading to an accelerated loss of functional β-cells and gradual elevation of blood glucose. Given these intricate connections, most available treatments of obesity and type 2 DM (T2DM) have a mutual effect on each other. For example, anti-obesity drugs can be anti-diabetic to some extent, and some anti-diabetic medicines, in contrast, have been shown to increase body weight, such as insulin. Meanwhile, surgical procedures, especially bariatric surgery, are more effective for both obesity and T2DM. Besides guaranteeing the availability and accessibility of all the available diagnostic and therapeutic tools, more clinical and experimental investigations on the pathogenesis of these two diseases are warranted to improve the efficacy and safety of the available and newly developed treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rexiati Ruze
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Tiantong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Xi Zou
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Jianlu Song
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Yuan Chen
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ruiyuan Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Xinpeng Yin
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- Graduate School, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
- Key Laboratory of Research in Pancreatic Tumor, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Qiang Xu,
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20
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Long chain ceramides raise the main phase transition of monounsaturated phospholipids to physiological temperature. Sci Rep 2022; 12:20803. [PMID: 36460753 PMCID: PMC9718810 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-25330-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Little is known about the molecular mechanisms of ceramide-mediated cellular signaling. We examined the effects of palmitoyl ceramide (C16-ceramide) and stearoyl ceramide (C18-ceramide) on the phase behavior of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC) and 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (POPE) using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and small- and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS, WAXS). As previously published, the presence of ceramides increased the lamellar gel-to-lamellar liquid crystalline (Lβ-Lα) phase transition temperature of POPC and POPE and decreased the Lα-to-inverted hexagonal (Lα-HII) phase transition temperature of POPE. Interestingly, despite an ~ 30° difference in the main phase transition temperatures of POPC and POPE, the Lβ-Lα phase transition temperatures were very close between POPC/C18-ceramide and POPE/C18-ceramide and were near physiological temperature. A comparison of the results of C16-ceramide in published and our own results with those of C18-ceramide indicates that increase of the carbon chain length of ceramide from 16 to 18 and/or the small difference of ceramide content in the membrane dramatically change the phase transition temperature of POPC and POPE to near physiological temperature. Our results support the idea that ceramide signaling is mediated by the alteration of lipid phase-dependent partitioning of signaling proteins.
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21
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Lee H, Kim D, Youn B. Targeting Oncogenic Rewiring of Lipid Metabolism for Glioblastoma Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232213818. [PMID: 36430293 PMCID: PMC9698497 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232213818] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most malignant primary brain tumor. Despite increasing research on GBM treatment, the overall survival rate has not significantly improved over the last two decades. Although recent studies have focused on aberrant metabolism in GBM, there have been few advances in clinical application. Thus, it is important to understand the systemic metabolism to eradicate GBM. Together with the Warburg effect, lipid metabolism has emerged as necessary for GBM progression. GBM cells utilize lipid metabolism to acquire energy, membrane components, and signaling molecules for proliferation, survival, and response to the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we discuss fundamental cholesterol, fatty acid, and sphingolipid metabolism in the brain and the distinct metabolic alterations in GBM. In addition, we summarize various studies on the regulation of factors involved in lipid metabolism in GBM therapy. Focusing on the rewiring of lipid metabolism will be an alternative and effective therapeutic strategy for GBM treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haksoo Lee
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - Dahye Kim
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
| | - BuHyun Youn
- Department of Integrated Biological Science, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
- Department of Biological Sciences, Pusan National University, Busan 46241, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-51-510-2264
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22
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Camacho-Muñoz D, Niven J, Kucuk S, Cucchi D, Certo M, Jones SW, Fischer DP, Mauro C, Nicolaou A. Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reverse the impact of western diets on regulatory T cell responses through averting ceramide-mediated pathways. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 204:115211. [PMID: 35985403 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Western diet (WD), high in sugar and fat, promotes obesity and associated chronic low-grade pro-inflammatory environment, leading to impaired immune function, reprogramming of innate and adaptive immune cells, and development of chronic degenerative diseases, including cardiovascular disease. Increased concentrations of circulating and tissue ceramides contribute to inflammation and cellular dysfunction common in immune metabolic and cardiometabolic disease. Therefore, ceramide-lowering interventions have been considered as strategies to improve adipose tissue health. Here, we report the ability of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA) to attenuate inflammatory phenotypes promoted by WD, through ceramide-dependent pathways. Using an animal model, we show that enrichment of WD diet with n-3PUFA, reduced the expression of ceramide synthase 2 (CerS2), and lowered the concentration of long-chain ceramides (C23-C26) in plasma and adipose tissues. N-3PUFA also increased prevalence of the anti-inflammatory CD4+Foxp3+ and CD4+Foxp3+CD25+ Treg subtypes in lymphoid organs. The CerS inhibitor FTY720 mirrored the effect of n-3PUFA. Treatment of animal and human T cells with ceramide C24 in vitro, reduced CD4+Foxp3+ Treg polarisation and IL-10 production, and increased IL-17, while it decreased Erk and Akt phosphorylation downstream of T cell antigen receptors (TCR). These findings suggest that molecular mechanisms mediating the adverse effect of ceramides on regulatory T lymphocytes, progress through reduced TCR signalling. Our findings suggest that nutritional enrichment of WD with fish oil n-3PUFA can partially mitigate its detrimental effects, potentially improving the low-grade inflammation associated with immune metabolic disease. Compared to pharmacological interventions, n-3PUFA offer a simpler approach that can be accommodated as lifestyle choice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dolores Camacho-Muñoz
- Laboratory for Lipidomics and Lipid Biology, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Jennifer Niven
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
| | - Salih Kucuk
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
| | - Danilo Cucchi
- William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK
| | - Michelangelo Certo
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
| | - Simon W Jones
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK
| | - Deborah P Fischer
- Laboratory for Lipidomics and Lipid Biology, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PT, UK
| | - Claudio Mauro
- Institute of Inflammation and Ageing, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham B15 2WB, UK; William Harvey Research Institute, Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, Queen Mary University of London, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.
| | - Anna Nicolaou
- Laboratory for Lipidomics and Lipid Biology, Division of Pharmacy and Optometry, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Biology Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9PT, UK; Lydia Becker Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, Manchester Academic Health Science Centre, Manchester M13 9NT, UK.
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23
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Reemst K, Broos JY, Abbink MR, Cimetti C, Giera M, Kooij G, Korosi A. Early-life stress and dietary fatty acids impact the brain lipid/oxylipin profile into adulthood, basally and in response to LPS. Front Immunol 2022; 13:967437. [PMID: 36131915 PMCID: PMC9484596 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.967437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain lipid dysregulation is a hallmark of depression and Alzheimer's disease, also marked by chronic inflammation. Early-life stress (ELS) and dietary intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are risk factors for these pathologies and are known to impact inflammatory processes. However, if these early-life factors alter brain lipid homeostasis on the long-term and thereby contribute to this risk remains to be elucidated. We have recently shown that an early diet enriched in omega(ω)-3 PUFAs protected against the long-term negative effects of ELS on cognition and neuroinflammation. Here, we aim to understand if modulation of brain lipid and oxylipin profiles contributes to the detrimental effects of ELS and the protective ones of the diet. We therefore studied if and how ELS and early dietary PUFAs modulate the brain lipid and oxylipin profile, basally as well as in response to an inflammatory challenge, to unmask possible latent effects. Male mice were exposed to ELS via the limited bedding and nesting paradigm, received an early diet with high or low ω6/ω3 ratio (HRD and LRD) and were injected with saline or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in adulthood. Twenty-four hours later plasma cytokines (Multiplex) and hypothalamic lipids and oxylipins (liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry) were measured. ELS exacerbated the LPS-induced increase in IL-6, CXCL1 and CCL2. Both ELS and diet affected the lipid/oxylipin profile long-term. For example, ELS increased diacylglycerol and LRD reduced triacylglycerol, free fatty acids and ceramides. Importantly, the ELS-induced alterations were strongly influenced by the early diet. For example, the ELS-induced decrease in eicosapentaenoic acid was reversed when fed LRD. Similarly, the majority of the LPS-induced alterations were distinct for control and ELS exposed mice and unique for mice fed with LRD or HRD. LPS decreased ceramides and lysophosphotidylcholine, increased hexosylceramides and prostaglandin E2, reduced triacylglycerol species and ω6-derived oxylipins only in mice fed LRD and ELS reduced the LPS-induced increase in phosphatidylcholine. These data give further insights into the alterations in brain lipids and oxylipins that might contribute to the detrimental effects of ELS, to the protective ones of LRD and the possible early-origin of brain lipid dyshomeostasis characterizing ELS-related psychopathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kitty Reemst
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Jelle Y. Broos
- Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands,Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Maralinde R. Abbink
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Chiara Cimetti
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Martin Giera
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Gijs Kooij
- Amsterdam University Medical Center (UMC), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Department of Molecular Cell Biology and Immunology, Amsterdam Neuroscience, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Aniko Korosi
- Swammerdam Institute for Life Sciences, Center for Neuroscience, University of Amsterdam, Science Park, Amsterdam, Netherlands,*Correspondence: Aniko Korosi,
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24
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Diterpenoid DGA induces apoptosis via endoplasmic reticulum stress caused by changes in glycosphingolipid composition and inhibition of STAT3 in glioma cells. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 205:115254. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115254] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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25
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Ung J, Tan SF, Fox TE, Shaw JJP, Vass LR, Costa-Pinheiro P, Garrett-Bakelman FE, Keng MK, Sharma A, Claxton DF, Levine RL, Tallman MS, Cabot MC, Kester M, Feith DJ, Loughran TP. Harnessing the power of sphingolipids: Prospects for acute myeloid leukemia. Blood Rev 2022; 55:100950. [PMID: 35487785 PMCID: PMC9475810 DOI: 10.1016/j.blre.2022.100950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is an aggressive, heterogenous malignancy characterized by clonal expansion of bone marrow-derived myeloid progenitor cells. While our current understanding of the molecular and genomic landscape of AML has evolved dramatically and opened avenues for molecularly targeted therapeutics to improve upon standard intensive induction chemotherapy, curative treatments are elusive, particularly in older patients. Responses to current AML treatments are transient and incomplete, necessitating the development of novel treatment strategies to improve outcomes. To this end, harnessing the power of bioactive sphingolipids to treat cancer shows great promise. Sphingolipids are involved in many hallmarks of cancer of paramount importance in AML. Leukemic blast survival is influenced by cellular levels of ceramide, a bona fide pro-death molecule, and its conversion to signaling molecules such as sphingosine-1-phosphate and glycosphingolipids. Preclinical studies demonstrate the efficacy of therapeutics that target dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism as well as their combinatorial synergy with clinically-relevant therapeutics. Thus, increased understanding of sphingolipid dysregulation may be exploited to improve AML patient care and outcomes. This review summarizes the current knowledge of dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism in AML, evaluates how pro-survival sphingolipids promote AML pathogenesis, and discusses the therapeutic potential of targeting these dysregulated sphingolipid pathways.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnson Ung
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Su-Fern Tan
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Todd E Fox
- University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Jeremy J P Shaw
- University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Luke R Vass
- University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; Department of Experimental Pathology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Pedro Costa-Pinheiro
- Cancer Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, United States of America
| | - Francine E Garrett-Bakelman
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Michael K Keng
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Arati Sharma
- Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - David F Claxton
- Penn State Cancer Institute, Hershey, PA, United States of America
| | - Ross L Levine
- Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States of America; Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Martin S Tallman
- Leukemia Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States of America
| | - Myles C Cabot
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, United States of America; East Carolina Diabetes and Obesity Institute, East Carolina University, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, NC, United States of America
| | - Mark Kester
- University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - David J Feith
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Thomas P Loughran
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Cancer Biology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America; University of Virginia Cancer Center, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America.
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26
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Höring M, Peschel G, Grimm J, Krautbauer S, Müller M, Weigand K, Liebisch G, Buechler C. Serum Ceramide Species Are Associated with Liver Cirrhosis and Viral Genotype in Patients with Hepatitis C Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179806. [PMID: 36077197 PMCID: PMC9456360 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection affects ceramide metabolism, and, here, we have evaluated associations of eight serum ceramide species with viral load, viral genotype, and disease markers in 178 patients with chronic HCV. In this cohort, ceramide d18:1;O2/16:0 was higher in the serum of the 20 diabetic patients compared to the patients without this complication. Moreover, ceramide d18:1;O2/24:0 was negatively correlated with age. Of note, all but ceramide d18:1;O2/16:0 and 26:0 were diminished in the serum of patients with liver cirrhosis and, with the exception of ceramide d18:1;O2/16:0, were negatively correlated with the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) score. Most of the serum ceramides are carried in low-density lipoprotein (LDL), which rises following effective direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy. Ceramide d18:1;O2/24:0 recovered in parallel with LDL, whereas ceramide d18:1;O2/18:0 declined. Genotype-3-infected patients had the lowest ceramide levels, which were comparable to other genotypes after DAA treatment. Notably, ceramide d18:1;O2/23:0 and 24:0 were negatively correlated with the MELD score in patients with liver cirrhosis at the end of DAA therapy. Long-chain (LC) ceramides show adverse effects, whereas very-long-chain (VL) species have protective functions in the liver. The ratio of VL/LC ceramides was higher in non-cirrhosis patients than cirrhosis patients and further increased at the end of therapy in this subgroup. In summary, our study shows that serum ceramide levels are related to liver cirrhosis and viral genotype. Whether the more favorable serum ceramide profile in non-cirrhosis patients, before and after DAA therapy, is of pathophysiological importance needs further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Höring
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Georg Peschel
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine, Klinikum Fürstenfeldbruck, 82256 Fürstenfeldbruck, Germany
| | - Jonathan Grimm
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Sabrina Krautbauer
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Martina Müller
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Kilian Weigand
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Department of Gastroenterology, Gemeinschaftsklinikum Mittelrhein, 56073 Koblenz, Germany
| | - Gerhard Liebisch
- Institute of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christa Buechler
- Department of Internal Medicine I, University Hospital Regensburg, 93053 Regensburg, Germany
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-941-944-7009
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27
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Santos TCB, Dingjan T, Futerman AH. The sphingolipid anteome: implications for evolution of the sphingolipid metabolic pathway. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:2345-2363. [PMID: 35899376 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2022] [Revised: 07/10/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Modern cell membranes contain a bewildering complexity of lipids, among them sphingolipids (SLs). Advances in mass spectrometry have led to the realization that the number and combinatorial complexity of lipids, including SLs, is much greater than previously appreciated. SLs are generated de novo by four enzymes, namely serine palmitoyltransferase, 3-ketodihydrosphingosine reductase, ceramide synthase and dihydroceramide Δ4-desaturase 1. Some of these enzymes depend on the availability of specific substrates and cofactors, which are themselves supplied by other complex metabolic pathways. The evolution of these four enzymes is poorly understood and likely depends on the co-evolution of the metabolic pathways that supply the other essential reaction components. Here, we introduce the concept of the 'anteome', from the Latin ante ('before') to describe the network of metabolic ('omic') pathways that must have converged in order for these pathways to co-evolve and permit SL synthesis. We also suggest that current origin of life and evolutionary models lack appropriate experimental support to explain the appearance of this complex metabolic pathway and its anteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tania C B Santos
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Tamir Dingjan
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
| | - Anthony H Futerman
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, 76100, Israel
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28
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Schmieder SS, Tatituri R, Anderson M, Kelly K, Lencer WI. Structural basis for acyl chain control over glycosphingolipid sorting and vesicular trafficking. Cell Rep 2022; 40:111063. [PMID: 35830800 PMCID: PMC9358721 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2022.111063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The complex sphingolipids exhibit a diversity of ceramide acyl chain structures that influence their trafficking and intracellular distributions, but it remains unclear how the cell discerns among the different ceramides to affect such sorting. To address the mechanism, we synthesize a library of GM1 glycosphingolipids with naturally varied acyl chains and quantitatively assess their sorting among different endocytic pathways. We find that a stretch of at least 14 saturated carbons extending from C1 at the water-bilayer interface dictate lysosomal sorting by exclusion from endosome sorting tubules. Sorting to the lysosome by the C14∗ motif is cholesterol dependent. Perturbations of the C14∗ motif by unsaturation enable GM1 entry into endosomal sorting tubules of the recycling and retrograde pathways independent of cholesterol. Unsaturation occurring beyond the C14∗ motif in very long acyl chains rescues lysosomal sorting. These results define a structural motif underlying the membrane organization of sphingolipids and implicate cholesterol-sphingolipid nanodomain formation in sorting mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Raju Tatituri
- Division of Rheumatology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Michael Anderson
- Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Digestive Diseases Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kate Kelly
- Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Wayne I Lencer
- Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Harvard Digestive Diseases Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
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29
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Li Y, Nicholson RJ, Summers SA. Ceramide signaling in the gut. Mol Cell Endocrinol 2022; 544:111554. [PMID: 34998898 PMCID: PMC8828712 DOI: 10.1016/j.mce.2022.111554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2021] [Revised: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipids are essential lipid components in the intestinal epithelial cells (IEC) along the intestinal tract. They play crucial roles in maintaining barrier integrity, regulating nutrient absorption, and acting as signaling molecules to regulate regeneration and differentiation of intestinal mucosa (Kurek et al., 2012). Ceramide is the central sphingolipid species and the precursor of all complex sphingolipids and other downstream simple intermediates like sphingosine (SPH), ceramide-1-phosphate (C-1-P), and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S-1-P). It is also a critical signaling molecule regulating numerous physiologic and pathologic processes. This review will summarize the metabolism of ceramides in the gut and their regulation in inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Li
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, UT, 84112, Salt Lake City, USA.
| | - Rebekah J Nicholson
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, UT, 84112, Salt Lake City, USA
| | - Scott A Summers
- Department of Nutrition and Integrative Physiology and the Diabetes and Metabolism Research Center, University of Utah, 15 North 2030 East, UT, 84112, Salt Lake City, USA
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30
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Need for more focus on lipid species in studies of biological and model membranes. Prog Lipid Res 2022; 86:101160. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2022.101160] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 03/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Dihydroceramide- and ceramide-profiling provides insights into human cardiometabolic disease etiology. Nat Commun 2022; 13:936. [PMID: 35177612 PMCID: PMC8854598 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28496-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Metabolic alterations precede cardiometabolic disease onset. Here we present ceramide- and dihydroceramide-profiling data from a nested case-cohort (type 2 diabetes [T2D, n = 775]; cardiovascular disease [CVD, n = 551]; random subcohort [n = 1137]) in the prospective EPIC-Potsdam study. We apply the novel NetCoupler-algorithm to link a data-driven (dihydro)ceramide network to T2D and CVD risk. Controlling for confounding by other (dihydro)ceramides, ceramides C18:0 and C22:0 and dihydroceramides C20:0 and C22:2 are associated with higher and ceramide C20:0 and dihydroceramide C26:1 with lower T2D risk. Ceramide C16:0 and dihydroceramide C22:2 are associated with higher CVD risk. Genome-wide association studies and Mendelian randomization analyses support a role of ceramide C22:0 in T2D etiology. Our results also suggest that (dh)ceramides partly mediate the putative adverse effect of high red meat consumption and benefits of coffee consumption on T2D risk. Thus, (dihydro)ceramides may play a critical role in linking genetic predisposition and dietary habits to cardiometabolic disease risk. Among lipid classes, ceramides are linked to impaired cardiometabolic health. Here the authors report the association of specific ceramides and dihydroceramides on the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and or cardiovascular disease in a prospective population cohort.
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Shu H, Peng Y, Hang W, Li N, Zhou N, Wang DW. Emerging Roles of Ceramide in Cardiovascular Diseases. Aging Dis 2022; 13:232-245. [PMID: 35111371 PMCID: PMC8782558 DOI: 10.14336/ad.2021.0710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Accepted: 07/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Ceramide is a core molecule of sphingolipid metabolism that causes selective insulin resistance and dyslipidemia. Research on its involvement in cardiovascular diseases has grown rapidly. In resting cells, ceramide levels are extremely low, while they rapidly accumulate upon encountering external stimuli. Recently, the regulation of ceramide levels under pathological conditions, including myocardial infarction, hypertension, and atherosclerosis, has drawn great attention. Increased ceramide levels are strongly associated with adverse cardiovascular risks and events while inhibiting the synthesis of ceramide or accelerating its degradation improves a variety of cardiovascular diseases. In this article, we summarize the role of ceramide in cardiovascular disease, investigate the possible application of ceramide as a new diagnostic biomarker and a therapeutic target for cardiovascular disorders, and highlight the remaining problems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongyang Shu
- 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China.,2Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Mechanism of Cardiologic Disorders, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Yizhong Peng
- 3Department of Orthopedics, Union Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Weijian Hang
- 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China.,2Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Mechanism of Cardiologic Disorders, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Na Li
- 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China.,2Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Mechanism of Cardiologic Disorders, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Ning Zhou
- 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China.,2Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Mechanism of Cardiologic Disorders, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
| | - Dao Wen Wang
- 1Division of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China.,2Hubei Key Laboratory of Genetics and Molecular Mechanism of Cardiologic Disorders, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430000, China
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Shalaby YM, Al Aidaros A, Valappil A, Ali BR, Akawi N. Role of Ceramides in the Molecular Pathogenesis and Potential Therapeutic Strategies of Cardiometabolic Diseases: What we Know so Far. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:816301. [PMID: 35127726 PMCID: PMC8808480 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.816301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Ceramides represent a class of biologically active lipids that are involved in orchestrating vital signal transduction pathways responsible for regulating cellular differentiation and proliferation. However, accumulating clinical evidence have shown that ceramides are playing a detrimental role in the pathogenesis of several diseases including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes and obesity, collectively referred to as cardiometabolic disease. Therefore, it has become necessary to study in depth the role of ceramides in the pathophysiology of such diseases, aiming to tailor more efficient treatment regimens. Furthermore, understanding the contribution of ceramides to the pathological molecular mechanisms of those interrelated conditions may improve not only the therapeutic but also the diagnostic and preventive approaches of the preceding hazardous events. Hence, the purpose of this article is to review currently available evidence on the role of ceramides as a common factor in the pathological mechanisms of cardiometabolic diseases as well as the mechanism of action of the latest ceramides-targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youssef M Shalaby
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ahram Canadian University, Egypt
| | - Anas Al Aidaros
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anjana Valappil
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Bassam R Ali
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Zayed Centre for Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Nadia Akawi
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates
- Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Implication of Ceramide Kinase/C1P in Cancer Development and Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14010227. [PMID: 35008391 PMCID: PMC8750078 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14010227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 12/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer cells rewire their metabolic programs to favor biological processes that promote cell survival, proliferation, and dissemination. Among this relevant reprogramming, sphingolipid metabolism provides metabolites that can favor or oppose these hallmarks of cancer. The sphingolipid ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) and the enzyme responsible for its biosynthesis, ceramide kinase (CERK), are well established regulators of cell growth and survival in normal, as well as malignant cells through stress-regulated signaling pathways. This metabolite also promotes cell survival, which has been associated with the feedback regulation of other antitumoral sphingolipids or second messengers. C1P also regulates cancer cell invasion and migration of different types of cancer, including lung, breast, pancreas, prostate, or leukemia cells. More recently, CERK and C1P have been implicated in the control of inflammatory responses. The present review provides an updated view on the important role of CERK/C1P in the regulation of cancer cell growth, survival, and dissemination.
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Manifold Roles of Ceramide Metabolism in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease and Liver Cancer. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2022; 1372:157-168. [DOI: 10.1007/978-981-19-0394-6_11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Emerging approaches of wound healing in experimental models of high-grade oral mucositis induced by anticancer therapy. Oncotarget 2021; 12:2283-2299. [PMID: 34733419 PMCID: PMC8555685 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.28091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Clinical guidelines for oral mucositis (OM) still consist in palliative care. Herein, we summarize cellular and molecular mechanisms of OM ulceration in response to chemical therapies in animal models. We discuss evidenced anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant drugs which have not been ever used for OM, such as synthetic peptides as well as cell therapy with mesenchymal stem cells; amniotic membranes, mucoadhesive polymers loaded with anti-inflammatory agents and natural or synthetic electrospun. These approaches have been promising to allow the production of drug-loaded membranes, scaffolds for cells encapsulation or guided tissue regeneration.
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Blomqvist M, Zetterberg H, Blennow K, Månsson JE. Sulfatide in health and disease. The evaluation of sulfatide in cerebrospinal fluid as a possible biomarker for neurodegeneration. Mol Cell Neurosci 2021; 116:103670. [PMID: 34562592 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcn.2021.103670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 09/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Sulfatide (3-O-sulfogalactosylceramide, SM4) is a glycosphingolipid, highly multifunctional and particularly enriched in the myelin sheath of neurons. The role of sulfatide has been implicated in various biological fields such as the nervous system, immune system, host-pathogen recognition and infection, beta cell function and haemostasis/thrombosis. Thus, alterations in sulfatide metabolism and production are associated with several human diseases such as neurological and immunological disorders and cancers. The unique lipid-rich composition of myelin reflects the importance of lipids in this specific membrane structure. Sulfatide has been shown to be involved in the regulation of oligodendrocyte differentiation and in the maintenance of the myelin sheath by influencing membrane dynamics involving sorting and lateral assembly of myelin proteins as well as ion channels. Sulfatide is furthermore essential for proper formation of the axo-glial junctions at the paranode together with axonal glycosphingolipids. Alterations in sulfatide metabolism are suggested to contribute to myelin deterioration as well as synaptic dysfunction, neurological decline and inflammation observed in different conditions associated with myelin pathology (mouse models and human disorders). Body fluid biomarkers are of importance for clinical diagnostics as well as for patient stratification in clinical trials and treatment monitoring. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is commonly used as an indirect measure of brain metabolism and analysis of CSF sulfatide might provide information regarding whether the lipid disruption observed in neurodegenerative disorders is reflected in this body fluid. In this review, we evaluate the diagnostic utility of CSF sulfatide as a biomarker for neurodegenerative disorders associated with dysmyelination/demyelination by summarising the current literature on this topic. We can conclude that neither CSF sulfatide levels nor individual sulfatide species consistently reflect the lipid disruption observed in many of the demyelinating disorders. One exception is the lysosomal storage disorder metachromatic leukodystrophy, possibly due to the genetically determined accumulation of non-metabolised sulfatide. We also discuss possible explanations as to why myelin pathology in brain tissue is poorly reflected by the CSF sulfatide concentration. The previous suggestion that CSF sulfatide is a marker of myelin damage has thereby been challenged by more recent studies using more sophisticated laboratory techniques for sulfatide analysis as well as improved sample selection criteria due to increased knowledge on disease pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Blomqvist
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Henrik Zetterberg
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden; Department of Neurodegenerative Disease, UCL Institute of Neurology, Queen Square, London, UK; UK Dementia Research Institute at UCL, London, UK
| | - Kaj Blennow
- Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden; Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Jan-Eric Månsson
- Department of Clinical Chemistry, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden; Department of Laboratory Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Fabris D, Karmelić I, Muharemović H, Sajko T, Jurilj M, Potočki S, Novak R, Vukelić Ž. Ganglioside Composition Distinguishes Anaplastic Ganglioglioma Tumor Tissue from Peritumoral Brain Tissue: Complementary Mass Spectrometry and Thin-Layer Chromatography Evidence. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22168844. [PMID: 34445547 PMCID: PMC8396361 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22168844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Gangliosides serve as antitumor therapy targets and aberrations in their composition strongly correlate with tumor growth and invasiveness. Anaplastic ganglioglioma is a rare, poorly characterized, malignant neuronal–glial tumor type. We present the first comparative characterization of ganglioside composition in anaplastic ganglioglioma vs. peritumoral and healthy brain tissues by combining mass spectrometry and thin-layer chromatography. Anaplastic ganglioglioma ganglioside composition was highly distinguishable from both peritumoral and healthy tissue despite having five to six times lower total content. Ten out of twelve MS-identified ganglioside classes, defined by unique glycan residues, were represented by a large number and considerable abundance of individual species with different fatty acid residues (C16–C24) in ceramide portions. The major structurally identified class was tumor-associated GD3 (>50%) with 11 species; GD3 (d18:1/24:0) being the most abundant. The dominant sphingoid base residue in ganglioside ceramides was sphingosine (d18:1), followed by eicosasphingosine (d20:1). The peritumoral tissue ganglioside composition was estimated as normal. Specific ganglioside composition and large variability of ganglioside ceramide structures determined in anaplastic ganglioglioma demonstrate realistic ganglioside expression patterns and correspond to the profile of high-grade malignancy brain tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dragana Fabris
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.K.); (S.P.)
- Correspondence: (D.F.); (Ž.V.)
| | - Ivana Karmelić
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.K.); (S.P.)
| | - Hasan Muharemović
- Department of Physical Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička cesta 54, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Tomislav Sajko
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center “Sestre Milosrdnice”, Vinogradska cesta 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (T.S.); (M.J.)
| | - Mia Jurilj
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospital Center “Sestre Milosrdnice”, Vinogradska cesta 29, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (T.S.); (M.J.)
| | - Slavica Potočki
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.K.); (S.P.)
| | - Ruđer Novak
- Department for Protemics, Center for Translational and Clinical Research, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 11, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Željka Vukelić
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Biochemistry and Clinical Chemistry, School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, Šalata 3, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia; (I.K.); (S.P.)
- Correspondence: (D.F.); (Ž.V.)
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Schmidt S, Gallego SF, Zelnik ID, Kovalchuk S, Albæk N, Sprenger RR, Øverup C, Pewzner-Jung Y, Futerman AH, Lindholm MW, Jensen ON, Ejsing CS. Silencing of ceramide synthase 2 in hepatocytes modulates plasma ceramide biomarkers predictive of cardiovascular death. Mol Ther 2021; 30:1661-1674. [PMID: 34400330 PMCID: PMC9077316 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2021.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2021] [Revised: 07/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Emerging clinical data show that three ceramide molecules, Cer d18:1/16:0, Cer d18:1/24:1, and Cer d18:1/24:0, are biomarkers of a fatal outcome in patients with cardiovascular disease. This finding raises basic questions about their metabolic origin, their contribution to disease pathogenesis, and the utility of targeting the underlying enzymatic machinery for treatment of cardiometabolic disorders. Here, we outline the development of a potent N-acetylgalactosamine-conjugated antisense oligonucleotide engineered to silence ceramide synthase 2 specifically in hepatocytes in vivo. We demonstrate that this compound reduces the ceramide synthase 2 mRNA level and that this translates into efficient lowering of protein expression and activity as well as Cer d18:1/24:1 and Cer d18:1/24:0 levels in liver. Intriguingly, we discover that the hepatocyte-specific antisense oligonucleotide also triggers a parallel modulation of blood plasma ceramides, revealing that the biomarkers predictive of cardiovascular death are governed by ceramide biosynthesis in hepatocytes. Our work showcases a generic therapeutic framework for targeting components of the ceramide enzymatic machinery to disentangle their roles in disease causality and to explore their utility for treatment of cardiometabolic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steffen Schmidt
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Sandra F Gallego
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Iris Daphne Zelnik
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Sergey Kovalchuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Nanna Albæk
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Richard R Sprenger
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Charlotte Øverup
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Yael Pewzner-Jung
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Anthony H Futerman
- Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot 7610001, Israel
| | - Marie W Lindholm
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Copenhagen, 2970 Hørsholm, Denmark
| | - Ole N Jensen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Christer S Ejsing
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, VILLUM Center for Bioanalytical Sciences, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark; Cell Biology and Biophysics Unit, European Molecular Biology Laboratory, 69117 Heidelberg, Germany.
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Barron K, Ogretmen B, Krupenko N. Ceramide synthase 6 mediates sex-specific metabolic response to dietary folic acid in mice. J Nutr Biochem 2021; 98:108832. [PMID: 34358645 DOI: 10.1016/j.jnutbio.2021.108832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Folic acid-fortified foods and multi-vitamin supplements containing folic acid (FA) are widely used around the world, but the exact mechanisms/metabolic effects of FA are not precisely identified. We have demonstrated that Ceramide Synthase 6 (CerS6) and C16:0-ceramide mediate response to folate stress in cultured cells. Here we investigated the dietary FA effects on mouse liver metabolome, with a specific focus on sphingolipids, CerS6 and C16:0-ceramide. Wild-type and CerS6-/- mice were fed FA-deficient, control, or FA over-supplemented diets for 4 weeks. After dietary treatment, liver concentrations of ceramides, sphingomyelins and hexosylceramides were measured by LC-MS/MS and complemented by untargeted metabolomic characterization of mouse livers. Our study shows that alterations in dietary FA elicit multiple sphingolipid responses mediated by CerS6 in mouse livers. Folic acid-deficient diet elevated C14:0-, C18:0- and C20:0- but not C16:0-ceramide in WT male and female mice. Additionally, FA over-supplementation increased multiple sphingomyelin species, including total sphingomyelins, in both sexes. Of note, concentrations of C14:0- and C16:0-ceramides and hexosylceramides were significantly higher in female livers than in male. The latter were increased by FD diet, with no difference between sexes in total pools of these sphingolipid classes. Untargeted liver metabolomic analysis concurred with the targeted measurements and showed broad effects of dietary FA and CerS6 status on multiple lipid classes including sex-specific effects on phosphatidylethanolamines and diacylglycerols. Our study demonstrates that both dietary FA and CerS6 status exhibit pleiotropic and sex-dependent effects on liver metabolism, including hepatic sphingolipids, diacylglycerols, long chain fatty acids, and phospholipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keri Barron
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina
| | - Besim Ogretmen
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Hollings Cancer center, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Natalia Krupenko
- Nutrition Research Institute, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kannapolis, North Carolina,; Department of Nutrition, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina,.
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Ceramide Metabolism Enzymes-Therapeutic Targets against Cancer. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2021; 57:medicina57070729. [PMID: 34357010 PMCID: PMC8303233 DOI: 10.3390/medicina57070729] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2021] [Revised: 07/07/2021] [Accepted: 07/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipids are both structural molecules that are essential for cell architecture and second messengers that are involved in numerous cell functions. Ceramide is the central hub of sphingolipid metabolism. In addition to being the precursor of complex sphingolipids, ceramides induce cell cycle arrest and promote cell death and inflammation. At least some of the enzymes involved in the regulation of sphingolipid metabolism are altered in carcinogenesis, and some are targets for anticancer drugs. A number of scientific reports have shown how alterations in sphingolipid pools can affect cell proliferation, survival and migration. Determination of sphingolipid levels and the regulation of the enzymes that are implicated in their metabolism is a key factor for developing novel therapeutic strategies or improving conventional therapies. The present review highlights the importance of bioactive sphingolipids and their regulatory enzymes as targets for therapeutic interventions with especial emphasis in carcinogenesis and cancer dissemination.
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The Protein Toxins Ricin and Shiga Toxin as Tools to Explore Cellular Mechanisms of Internalization and Intracellular Transport. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13060377. [PMID: 34070659 PMCID: PMC8227415 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13060377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein toxins secreted by bacteria and found in plants can be threats to human health. However, their extreme toxicity can also be exploited in different ways, e.g., to produce hybrid toxins directed against cancer cells and to study transport mechanisms in cells. Investigations during the last decades have shown how powerful these molecules are as tools in cell biological research. Here, we first present a partly historical overview, with emphasis on Shiga toxin and ricin, of how such toxins have been used to characterize processes and proteins of importance for their trafficking. In the second half of the article, we describe how one can now use toxins to investigate the role of lipid classes for intracellular transport. In recent years, it has become possible to quantify hundreds of lipid species using mass spectrometry analysis. Thus, it is also now possible to explore the importance of lipid species in intracellular transport. The detailed analyses of changes in lipids seen under conditions of inhibited toxin transport reveal previously unknown connections between syntheses of lipid classes and demonstrate the ability of cells to compensate under given conditions.
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Vaena S, Chakraborty P, Lee HG, Janneh AH, Kassir MF, Beeson G, Hedley Z, Yalcinkaya A, Sofi MH, Li H, Husby ML, Stahelin RV, Yu XZ, Mehrotra S, Ogretmen B. Aging-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction mediated by ceramide signaling inhibits antitumor T cell response. Cell Rep 2021; 35:109076. [PMID: 33951438 PMCID: PMC8127241 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109076] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 03/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
We lack a mechanistic understanding of aging-mediated changes in mitochondrial bioenergetics and lipid metabolism that affect T cell function. The bioactive sphingolipid ceramide, induced by aging stress, mediates mitophagy and cell death; however, the aging-related roles of ceramide metabolism in regulating T cell function remain unknown. Here, we show that activated T cells isolated from aging mice have elevated C14/C16 ceramide accumulation in mitochondria, generated by ceramide synthase 6, leading to mitophagy/mitochondrial dysfunction. Mechanistically, aging-dependent mitochondrial ceramide inhibits protein kinase A, leading to mitophagy in activated T cells. This aging/ceramide-dependent mitophagy attenuates the antitumor functions of T cells in vitro and in vivo. Also, inhibition of ceramide metabolism or PKA activation by genetic and pharmacologic means prevents mitophagy and restores the central memory phenotype in aging T cells. Thus, these studies help explain the mechanisms behind aging-related dysregulation of T cells' antitumor activity, which can be restored by inhibiting ceramide-dependent mitophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Vaena
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Paramita Chakraborty
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Han Gyul Lee
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Alhaji H Janneh
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Mohamed Faisal Kassir
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Gyda Beeson
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Zachariah Hedley
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Ahmet Yalcinkaya
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - M Hanief Sofi
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Hong Li
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Public Health, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Monica L Husby
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Robert V Stahelin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Xue-Zhong Yu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Shikhar Mehrotra
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Besim Ogretmen
- Departments of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 86 Jonathan Lucas Street, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
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Song JH, Kim GT, Park KH, Park WJ, Park TS. Bioactive Sphingolipids as Major Regulators of Coronary Artery Disease. Biomol Ther (Seoul) 2021; 29:373-383. [PMID: 33903284 PMCID: PMC8255146 DOI: 10.4062/biomolther.2020.218] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 01/04/2021] [Accepted: 01/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Atherosclerosis is the deposition of plaque in the main arteries. It is an inflammatory condition involving the accumulation of macrophages and various lipids (low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, ceramide, S1P). Moreover, endothelial cells, macrophages, leukocytes, and smooth muscle cells are the major players in the atherogenic process. Sphingolipids are now emerging as important regulators in various pathophysiological processes, including the atherogenic process. Various sphingolipids exist, such as the ceramides, ceramide-1-phosphate, sphingosine, sphinganine, sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), sphingomyelin, and hundreds of glycosphingolipids. Among these, ceramides, glycosphingolipids, and S1P play important roles in the atherogenic processes. The atherosclerotic plaque consists of higher amounts of ceramide, glycosphingolipids, and sphingomyelin. The inhibition of the de novo ceramide biosynthesis reduces the development of atherosclerosis. S1P regulates atherogenesis via binding to the S1P receptor (S1PR). Among the five S1PRs (S1PR1-5), S1PR1 and S1PR3 mainly exert anti-atherosclerotic properties. This review mainly focuses on the effects of ceramide and S1P via the S1PR in the development of atherosclerosis. Moreover, it discusses the recent findings and potential therapeutic implications in atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae-Hwi Song
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Sungnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Goon-Tae Kim
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Sungnam 13120, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Ho Park
- Department of Nutrition, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Republic of Korea
| | - Woo-Jae Park
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, Gachon University, Incheon 21999, Republic of Korea
| | - Tae-Sik Park
- Department of Life Science, Gachon University, Sungnam 13120, Republic of Korea
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Abstract
On this 100th anniversary of the discovery of insulin, we recognize the critical role that adipocytes, which are exquisitely responsive to insulin, have played in determining the mechanisms for insulin action at the cellular level. Our understanding of adipose tissue biology has evolved greatly, and it is now clear that adipocytes are far more complicated than simple storage depots for fat. A growing body of evidence documents how adipocytes, in response to insulin, contribute to the control of whole-body nutrient homeostasis. These advances highlight adipocyte plasticity, heterogeneity, and endocrine function, unique features that connect adipocyte metabolism to the regulation of other tissues important for metabolic homeostasis (e.g., liver, muscle, pancreas).
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Santoro
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Timothy E McGraw
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Medical College of Cornell University, New York, NY 10065, USA.
| | - Barbara B Kahn
- Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Ceramide Synthase 2 Null Mice Are Protected from Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma with Higher T Cell Receptor Signal Strength in CD4+ T Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22052713. [PMID: 33800208 PMCID: PMC7962461 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22052713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: six mammalian ceramide synthases (CerS1–6) determine the acyl chain length of sphingolipids (SLs). Although ceramide levels are increased in murine allergic asthma models and in asthmatic patients, the precise role of SLs with specific chain lengths is still unclear. The role of CerS2, which mainly synthesizes C22–C24 ceramides, was investigated in immune responses elicited by airway inflammation using CerS2 null mice. (2) Methods: asthma was induced in wild type (WT) and CerS2 null mice with ovalbumin (OVA), and inflammatory cytokines and CD4 (cluster of differentiation 4)+ T helper (Th) cell profiles were analyzed. We also compared the functional capacity of CD4+ T cells isolated from WT and CerS2 null mice. (3) Results: CerS2 null mice exhibited milder symptoms and lower Th2 responses than WT mice after OVA exposure. CerS2 null CD4+ T cells showed impaired Th2 and increased Th17 responses with concomitant higher T cell receptor (TCR) signal strength after TCR stimulation. Notably, increased Th17 responses of CerS2 null CD4+ T cells appeared only in TCR-mediated, but not in TCR-independent, treatment. (4) Conclusions: altered Th2/Th17 immune response with higher TCR signal strength was observed in CerS2 null CD4+ T cells upon TCR stimulation. CerS2 and very-long chain SLs may be therapeutic targets for Th2-related diseases such as asthma.
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Izquierdo E, Casasampere M, Fabriàs G, Abad JL, Casas J, Delgado A. Synthesis and characterization of bichromophoric 1-deoxyceramides as FRET probes. Org Biomol Chem 2021; 19:2456-2467. [PMID: 33650618 DOI: 10.1039/d1ob00113b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The suitability as FRET probes of two bichromophoric 1-deoxydihydroceramides containing a labelled spisulosine derivative as a sphingoid base and two differently ω-labelled fluorescent palmitic acids has been evaluated. The ceramide synthase (CerS) catalyzed metabolic incorporation of ω-azido palmitic acid into the above labeled spisulosine to render the corresponding ω-azido 1-deoxyceramide has been studied in several cell lines. In addition, the strain-promoted click reaction between this ω-azido 1-deoxyceramide and suitable fluorophores has been optimized to render the target bichromophoric 1-deoxydihydroceramides. These results pave the way for the development of FRET-based assays as a new tool to study sphingolipid metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Izquierdo
- Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Medicinal Chemistry, Unit of Pharmaceutical Chemistry (Associated Unit to CSIC). Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences. University of Barcelona (UB), Joan XXIII 27-31, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
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48
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Hajduch E, Lachkar F, Ferré P, Foufelle F. Roles of Ceramides in Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease. J Clin Med 2021; 10:jcm10040792. [PMID: 33669443 PMCID: PMC7920467 DOI: 10.3390/jcm10040792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease is one of the most common chronic liver diseases, ranging from simple steatosis to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Its prevalence is rapidly increasing and presently affects around 25% of the general population of Western countries, due to the obesity epidemic. Liver fat accumulation induces the synthesis of specific lipid species and particularly ceramides, a sphingolipid. In turn, ceramides have deleterious effects on hepatic metabolism, a phenomenon called lipotoxicity. We review here the evidence showing the role of ceramides in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and the mechanisms underlying their effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric Hajduch
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75006 Paris, France; (E.H.); (F.L.); (P.F.)
- Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Floriane Lachkar
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75006 Paris, France; (E.H.); (F.L.); (P.F.)
- Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Pascal Ferré
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75006 Paris, France; (E.H.); (F.L.); (P.F.)
- Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP, 75013 Paris, France
| | - Fabienne Foufelle
- Centre de Recherche des Cordeliers, INSERM, Sorbonne Université, Université de Paris, 75006 Paris, France; (E.H.); (F.L.); (P.F.)
- Institute of Cardiometabolism and Nutrition (ICAN), Hôpital Pitié-Salpêtrière, AP-HP, 75013 Paris, France
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +33-1-44-27-24-25
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Yamamoto M, Sassa T, Kyono Y, Uemura H, Kugo M, Hayashi H, Imai Y, Yamanishi K, Kihara A. Comprehensive stratum corneum ceramide profiling reveals reduced acylceramides in ichthyosis patient with CERS3 mutations. J Dermatol 2021; 48:447-456. [PMID: 33492757 DOI: 10.1111/1346-8138.15725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/23/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The stratum corneum (SC) of the epidermis acts as a skin permeability barrier, and abnormalities in SC formation lead to several skin disorders. Lipids, especially the epidermis-specific ceramide classes ω-O-acylceramides (acylceramides) and protein-bound ceramides, are essential for skin barrier formation. Ceramide synthase 3 (CERS3) is involved in the synthesis of acylceramides and protein-bound ceramides, and CERS3 mutations cause autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis. In the present study, we measured ceramide synthase activity and performed comprehensive SC ceramide profiling in an ichthyosis patient with compound heterozygous CERS3 mutations: nonsense mutation p.Arg75* and missense mutation p.Arg229His. The activity of p.Arg75* and p.Arg229His mutant CERS3 proteins was reduced to 4% and 56%, respectively, of the wild-type protein. In the patient's SC, acylceramide levels were greatly reduced, but the levels of protein-bound ceramides remained almost unchanged. Non-acylated ceramide levels were also affected in the patient; in particular, the levels of ceramides composed of sphingosine and non-hydroxy or α-hydroxy fatty acid were substantially higher than in healthy controls. These results suggest that a reduction in acylceramide levels alone leads to ichthyosis. Although protein-bound ceramides are synthesized from acylceramides, levels of acylceramides and protein-bound ceramides are not necessarily correlated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moe Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Takayuki Sassa
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
| | - Yuki Kyono
- Department of Pediatrics, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Japan
| | - Hiroyasu Uemura
- Department of Pediatrics, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji Hospital, Himeji, Japan
| | - Masaaki Kugo
- Department of Pediatrics, Japanese Red Cross Society Himeji Hospital, Himeji, Japan
| | - Hideki Hayashi
- Department of Dermatology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Yasutomo Imai
- Department of Dermatology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Kiyofumi Yamanishi
- Department of Dermatology, Hyogo College of Medicine, Nishinomiya, Japan
| | - Akio Kihara
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan
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Skácel J, Slusher BS, Tsukamoto T. Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting Biosynthesis of Ceramide, the Central Hub of the Sphingolipid Network. J Med Chem 2021; 64:279-297. [PMID: 33395289 PMCID: PMC8023021 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Ceramides are composed of a sphingosine and a single fatty acid connected by an amide linkage. As one of the major classes of biologically active lipids, ceramides and their upstream and downstream metabolites have been implicated in several pathological conditions including cancer, neurodegeneration, diabetes, microbial pathogenesis, obesity, and inflammation. Consequently, tremendous efforts have been devoted to deciphering the dynamics of metabolic pathways involved in ceramide biosynthesis. Given that several distinct enzymes can produce ceramide, different enzyme targets have been pursued depending on the underlying disease mechanism. The main objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of small molecule inhibitors reported to date for each of these ceramide-producing enzymes from a medicinal chemistry perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Skácel
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Barbara S. Slusher
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
| | - Takashi Tsukamoto
- Johns Hopkins Drug Discovery and Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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