1
|
Species-Specific Differences in the Susceptibility of Fungi to the Antifungal Protein AFP Depend on C-3 Saturation of Glycosylceramides. mSphere 2019; 4:4/6/e00741-19. [PMID: 31826973 PMCID: PMC6908424 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00741-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Our data suggest a fundamental role of glycosylceramides in the susceptibility of fungi to AFP. We discovered that only a minor structural difference in these molecules—namely, the saturation level of their fatty acid chain, controlled by a 2-hydroxy fatty N-acyl-Δ3(E)-desaturase—represents a key to understanding the inhibitory activity of AFP. As glycosylceramides are important components of fungal plasma membranes, we propose a model which links AFP-mediated inhibition of chitin synthesis in fungi with its potential to disturb plasma membrane integrity. AFP is an antimicrobial peptide (AMP) produced by the filamentous fungus Aspergillus giganteus and is a very potent inhibitor of fungal growth that does not affect the viability of bacteria, plant, or mammalian cells. It targets chitin synthesis and causes plasma membrane permeabilization in many human- and plant-pathogenic fungi, but its exact mode of action is not known. After adoption of the “damage-response framework of microbial pathogenesis” regarding the analysis of interactions between AMPs and microorganisms, we have recently proposed that the cytotoxic capacity of a given AMP depends not only on the presence/absence of its target(s) in the host and the AMP concentration applied but also on other variables, such as microbial survival strategies. We show here using the examples of three filamentous fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus, and Fusarium graminearum) and two yeasts (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris) that the important parameters defining the AFP susceptibilities of these fungi are (i) the presence/absence of glycosylceramides, (ii) the presence/absence of Δ3(E) desaturation of the fatty acid chain therein, and (iii) the (dis)ability of these fungi to respond to AFP inhibitory effects with the fortification of their cell walls via increased chitin and β-(1,3)-glucan synthesis. These observations support the idea of the adoption of the damage-response framework to holistically understand the outcome of AFP inhibitory effects. IMPORTANCE Our data suggest a fundamental role of glycosylceramides in the susceptibility of fungi to AFP. We discovered that only a minor structural difference in these molecules—namely, the saturation level of their fatty acid chain, controlled by a 2-hydroxy fatty N-acyl-Δ3(E)-desaturase—represents a key to understanding the inhibitory activity of AFP. As glycosylceramides are important components of fungal plasma membranes, we propose a model which links AFP-mediated inhibition of chitin synthesis in fungi with its potential to disturb plasma membrane integrity.
Collapse
|
2
|
Shaw J, Costa-Pinheiro P, Patterson L, Drews K, Spiegel S, Kester M. Novel Sphingolipid-Based Cancer Therapeutics in the Personalized Medicine Era. Adv Cancer Res 2018; 140:327-366. [PMID: 30060815 DOI: 10.1016/bs.acr.2018.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipids are bioactive lipids that participate in a wide variety of biological mechanisms, including cell death and proliferation. The myriad of pro-death and pro-survival cellular pathways involving sphingolipids provide a plethora of opportunities for dysregulation in cancers. In recent years, modulation of these sphingolipid metabolic pathways has been in the forefront of drug discovery for cancer therapeutics. About two decades ago, researchers first showed that standard of care treatments, e.g., chemotherapeutics and radiation, modulate sphingolipid metabolism to increase endogenous ceramides, which kill cancer cells. Strikingly, resistance to these treatments has also been linked to altered sphingolipid metabolism, favoring lipid species that ultimately lead to cell survival. To this end, many inhibitors of sphingolipid metabolism have been developed to further define not only our understanding of these pathways but also to potentially serve as therapeutic interventions. Therefore, understanding how to better use these new drugs that target sphingolipid metabolism, either alone or in combination with current cancer treatments, holds great potential for cancer control. While sphingolipids in cancer have been reviewed previously (Hannun & Obeid, 2018; Lee & Kolesnick, 2017; Morad & Cabot, 2013; Newton, Lima, Maceyka, & Spiegel, 2015; Ogretmen, 2018; Ryland, Fox, Liu, Loughran, & Kester, 2011) in this chapter, we present a comprehensive review on how standard of care therapeutics affects sphingolipid metabolism, the current landscape of sphingolipid inhibitors, and the clinical utility of sphingolipid-based cancer therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Shaw
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Pedro Costa-Pinheiro
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Logan Patterson
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Kelly Drews
- Department of Pathology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Sarah Spiegel
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, United States
| | - Mark Kester
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States; University of Virginia Cancer Center, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Liu YY, Hill RA, Li YT. Ceramide glycosylation catalyzed by glucosylceramide synthase and cancer drug resistance. Adv Cancer Res 2013; 117:59-89. [PMID: 23290777 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-394274-6.00003-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Glucosylceramide synthase (GCS), converting ceramide to glucosylceramide, catalyzes the first reaction of ceramide glycosylation in sphingolipid metabolism. This glycosylation by GCS is a critical step regulating the modulation of cellular activities by controlling ceramide and glycosphingolipids (GSLs). An increase of ceramide in response to stresses, such as chemotherapy, drives cells to proliferation arrest and apoptosis or autophagy; however, ceramide glycosylation promptly eliminates ceramide and consequently, these induced processes, thus protecting cancer cells. Further, persistently enhanced ceramide glycosylation can increase GSLs, participating in selecting cancer cells to drug resistance. GCS is overexpressed in diverse drug-resistant cancer cells and in tumors of breast, colon, and leukemia that display poor response to chemotherapy. As ceramide glycosylation by GCS is a rate-limiting step in GSL synthesis, inhibition of GCS sensitizes cancer cells to anticancer drugs and eradicates cancer stem cells. Mechanistic studies indicate that uncoupling ceramide glycosylation can modulate gene expression, decreasing MDR1 through the cSrc/β-catenin pathway and restoring p53 expression via RNA splicing. These studies not only expand our knowledge in understanding how ceramide glycosylation affects cancer cells but also provide novel therapeutic approaches for targeting refractory tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yong-Yu Liu
- Department of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Monroe, LA, USA.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Kartal Yandım M, Apohan E, Baran Y. Therapeutic potential of targeting ceramide/glucosylceramide pathway in cancer. Cancer Chemother Pharmacol 2012; 71:13-20. [PMID: 23073611 DOI: 10.1007/s00280-012-1984-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2012] [Accepted: 09/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Sphingolipids including ceramides and its derivatives such as ceramide-1-phosphate, glucosylceramide (GlcCer), and sphingosine-1-phosphate are essential structural components of cell membranes. They now recognized as novel bioeffector molecules which control various aspects of cell growth, proliferation, apoptosis, and drug resistance. Ceramide, the central molecule of sphingolipid metabolism, generally mediates anti-proliferative responses such as inhibition of cell growth, induction of apoptosis, and/or modulation of senescence. There are two major classes of sphingolipids. One of them is glycosphingolipids which are synthesized from the hydrophobic molecule, ceramide. GlcCer, generated by glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) that transfers the glucose from UDP-glucose to ceramide, is an important glycosphingolipid metabolic intermediate. GCS regulates the balance between apoptotic ceramide and antiapoptotic GlcCer. Downregulation or inhibition of GCS results in increased apoptosis and decreased drug resistance. The mechanism underlying the drug resistance which develops with increased glucosylceramide expression is associated with P-glycoprotein. In various types of cancers, overexpression of GCS has been observed which renders GCS a good target for the treatment of cancer. This review summarizes our current knowledge on the structure and functions of glucosylceramide synthase and glucosylceramide and on the roles of glucosylceramide synthase in cancer therapy and drug resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melis Kartal Yandım
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Faculty of Science, İzmir Institute of Technology, Urla, Izmir 35430, Turkey
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
5
|
Nimrichter L, Rodrigues ML. Fungal glucosylceramides: from structural components to biologically active targets of new antimicrobials. Front Microbiol 2011; 2:212. [PMID: 22025918 PMCID: PMC3198225 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2011.00212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2011] [Accepted: 09/30/2011] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The first work reporting synthesis of glucosylceramide (cerebrin, GlcCer) by yeasts was published in 1930. During approximately 70 years members of this class of glycosphingolipids (GSL) were considered merely structural components of plasma membrane in fungi. However, in the last decade GlcCer was reported to be involved with fungal growth, differentiation, virulence, immunogenicity, and lipid raft architecture in at least two human pathogens. Fungal GlcCer are structurally distinct from their mammalian counterparts and enriched at the cell wall, which makes this molecule an effective target for antifungal activity of specific ligands (peptides and antibodies to GlcCer). Therefore, GSL are promising targets for new drugs to combat fungal diseases. This review discusses the most recent information on biosynthesis and role of GlcCer in fungal pathogens.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Nimrichter
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Bioquímica Microbiana, Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | |
Collapse
|
6
|
Ghisaidoobe A, Bikker P, de Bruijn ACJ, Godschalk FD, Rogaar E, Guijt MC, Hagens P, Halma JM, van't Hart SM, Luitjens SB, van Rixel VHS, Wijzenbroek M, Zweegers T, Donker-Koopman WE, Strijland A, Boot R, van der Marel G, Overkleeft HS, Aerts JMFG, van den Berg RJBHN. Identification of potent and selective glucosylceramide synthase inhibitors from a library of N-alkylated iminosugars. ACS Med Chem Lett 2011; 2:119-23. [PMID: 24900289 DOI: 10.1021/ml100192b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2010] [Accepted: 11/23/2010] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) is an important target for clinical drug development for the treatment of lysosomal storage disorders and a promising target for combating type 2 diabetes. Iminosugars are useful leads for the development of GCS inhibitors; however, the effective iminosugar type GCS inhibitors reported have some unwanted cross-reactivity toward other glyco-processing enzymes. In particular, iminosugar type GCS inhibitors often also inhibit to some extent human acid glucosylceramidase (GBA1) and the nonlysosomal glucosylceramidase (GBA2), the two enzymes known to process glucosylceramide. Of these, GBA1 itself is a potential drug target for the treatment of the lysosomal storage disorder, Gaucher disease, and selective GBA1 inhibitors are sought after as potential chemical chaperones. The physiological importance of GBA2 in glucosylceramide processing in relation to disease states is less clear, and here, selective inhibitors can be of use as chemical knockout entities. In this communication, we report our identification of a highly potent and selective N-alkylated l-ido-configured iminosugar. In particular, the selectivity of 27 for GCS over GBA1 is striking.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Amar Ghisaidoobe
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Pieter Bikker
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Arjan C. J. de Bruijn
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Frithjof D. Godschalk
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Rogaar
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Marieke C. Guijt
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Hagens
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Jerre M. Halma
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Steven M. van't Hart
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Stijn B. Luitjens
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Vincent H. S. van Rixel
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Mark Wijzenbroek
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thor Zweegers
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | - Anneke Strijland
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Rolf Boot
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Gijs van der Marel
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Herman S. Overkleeft
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Melser S, Batailler B, Peypelut M, Poujol C, Bellec Y, Wattelet-Boyer V, Maneta-Peyret L, Faure JD, Moreau P. Glucosylceramide biosynthesis is involved in Golgi morphology and protein secretion in plant cells. Traffic 2010; 11:479-90. [PMID: 20028486 DOI: 10.1111/j.1600-0854.2009.01030.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Lipids have an established role as structural components of membranes or as signalling molecules, but their role as molecular actors in protein secretion is less clear. The complex sphingolipid glucosylceramide (GlcCer) is enriched in the plasma membrane and lipid microdomains of plant cells, but compared to animal and yeast cells, little is known about the role of GlcCer in plant physiology. We have investigated the influence of GlcCer biosynthesis by glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) on the efficiency of protein transport through the plant secretory pathway and on the maintenance of normal Golgi structure. We determined that GlcCer is synthesized at the beginning of the plant secretory pathway [mainly endoplasmic reticulum (ER)] and that D,L-threo-1-phenyl-2-decanoyl amino-3-morpholino-propanol (PDMP) is a potent inhibitor of plant GCS activity in vitro and in vivo. By an in vivo confocal microscopy approach in tobacco leaves infiltrated with PDMP, we showed that the decrease in GlcCer biosynthesis disturbed the transport of soluble and membrane secretory proteins to the cell surface, as these proteins were partly retained intracellularly in the ER and/or Golgi. Electron microscopic observations of Arabidopsis thaliana root cells after high-pressure freezing and freeze substitution evidenced strong morphological changes in the Golgi bodies, pointing to a link between decreased protein secretion and perturbations of Golgi structure following inhibition of GlcCer biosynthesis in plant cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Su Melser
- Université V. Segalen Bordeaux 2, Laboratoire de Biogenèse Membranaire, CNRS UMR 5200, 146, rue Léo Saignat, 33076 Bordeaux Cedex, France
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
8
|
Wennekes T, van den Berg RJBHN, Boot RG, van der Marel GA, Overkleeft HS, Aerts JMFG. Glycosphingolipids--nature, function, and pharmacological modulation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2010; 48:8848-69. [PMID: 19862781 DOI: 10.1002/anie.200902620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 218] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The discovery of the glycosphingolipids is generally attributed to Johan L. W. Thudichum, who in 1884 published on the chemical composition of the brain. In his studies he isolated several compounds from ethanolic brain extracts which he coined cerebrosides. He subjected one of these, phrenosin (now known as galactosylceramide), to acid hydrolysis, and this produced three distinct components. One he identified as a fatty acid and another proved to be an isomer of D-glucose, which is now known as D-galactose. The third component, with an "alkaloidal nature", presented "many enigmas" to Thudichum, and therefore he named it sphingosine, after the mythological riddle of the Sphinx. Today, sphingolipids and their glycosidated derivatives are the subjects of intense study aimed at elucidating their role in the structural integrity of the cell membrane, their participation in recognition and signaling events, and in particular their involvement in pathological processes that are at the basis of human disease (for example, sphingolipidoses and diabetes type 2). This Review details some of the recent findings on the biosynthesis, function, and degradation of glycosphingolipids in man, with a focus on the glycosphingolipid glucosylceramide. Special attention is paid to the clinical relevance of compounds directed at interfering with the factors responsible for glycosphingolipid metabolism.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tom Wennekes
- Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden University, P.O. Box 9502, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
9
|
Warnecke D, Heinz E. Glycolipid headgroup replacement: a new approach for the analysis of specific functions of glycolipids in vivo. Eur J Cell Biol 2009; 89:53-61. [PMID: 19939496 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2009.10.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycolipids with one or two sugar residues attached to different lipid backbones are found in biomembranes of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals in the form of steryl glycosides, glycosylceramides and diacylglycerol glycosides. They contain different sugar residues, mainly glucose and galactose, in either alpha- or beta-configuration. Many of the isolated compounds have been studied in great detail with regard to their biophysical behavior in artificial membrane systems. With the availability of cloned genes, the methods of reverse genetics were used to study glycolipid functions in living cells. The deletion of a lipid glycosyltransferase gene leads to the loss of the corresponding glycolipid in the transformed pro- and eukaryotic organisms. Often, these glycosyltransferase deletion mutants showed many differences to the wild-type organisms and thus demonstrated the biological importance of the glycolipid. When extensive deletion-induced glycolipid losses were not complemented by higher proportions of other membrane lipids, the mutants could display severe phenotypes due to a serious dysfunction or even collapse of an entire membrane system. On the other hand, by this approach the specific contribution of characteristic head group details cannot be recognized and separated from more general glycolipid functions. Many of these difficulties can be circumvented by a glycolipid headgroup replacement approach. This new approach requires the exchange of a lipid glycosyltransferase in an organism by a heterologous glycosyltransferase having a different headgroup specificity, e.g. the substitution of a galactosyltransferase by a glucosyltransferase. The resulting transgenic organism produces a novel glycolipid which differs from that of the native organism not in proportion, but only in structural details of its headgroup. Therefore, such rescued mutants are comparable to suppressor mutants and show less severe phenotypes than the intermediate deletion mutants. A comparison between the wild type, the simple deletion mutant and the mutant rescued by glycolipid replacement will not only disclose general functions of glycolipids, but also additional roles of headgroup details.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Warnecke
- Biocenter Klein Flottbek and Botanical Garden, University of Hamburg, Ohnhorststrasse 18, 22609 Hamburg, Germany.
| | | |
Collapse
|
10
|
Wennekes T, van den Berg R, Boot R, van der Marel G, Overkleeft H, Aerts J. Glycosphingolipide - Natur, Funktion und pharmakologische Modulierung. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2009. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.200902620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
11
|
Nimrichter L, Rodrigues ML, Barreto-Bergter E, Travassos LR. Sophisticated Functions for a Simple Molecule: The Role of Glucosylceramides in Fungal Cells. Lipid Insights 2008. [DOI: 10.4137/lpi.s1014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
It is well known that mammalian glycosphingolipids (GSL) play key roles in different physiological and pathophysiological processes. The simplest GSL, glucosylceramide (GlcCer), is formed through the enzymatic transfer of glucose to a ceramide moiety. In mammalian cells this molecule is the building block for the synthesis of lactosylceramides and many other complex GSLs. In fungal cells GlcCer is a major neutral GSL that has been considered during decades merely as a structural component of cell membranes. The recent literature, however, describes the participation of fungal GlcCer in vital processes such as secretion, cell wall assembly, recognition by the immune system and regulation of virulence. In this review we discuss the most recent information regarding fungal GlcCer, including (i) new aspects of GlcCer metabolism, (ii) the involvement of these molecules in virulence mechanisms, (iii) their role as targets of new antifungal drugs and immunotherapeutic agents and, finally, (v) their potential participation on cellular signaling in response to different stimuli.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leonardo Nimrichter
- Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Marcio L. Rodrigues
- Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Eliana Barreto-Bergter
- Instituto de Microbiologia Professor Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, 21941-590, Brazil
| | - Luiz R. Travassos
- Unidade de Oncologia Experimental and Disciplina de Biologia Celular, Universidade Federal de São Paulo; São Paulo, SP 04023-062, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Delgado A, Casas J, Llebaria A, Abad JL, Fabrias G. Inhibitors of sphingolipid metabolism enzymes. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2006; 1758:1957-77. [PMID: 17049336 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2006.08.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2006] [Accepted: 08/18/2006] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Sphingolipids are a family of lipids that play essential roles both as structural cell membrane components and in cell signalling. The cellular contents of the various sphingolipid species are controlled by enzymes involved in their metabolic pathways. In this context, the discovery of small chemical entities able to modify these enzyme activities in a potent and selective way should offer new pharmacological tools and therapeutic agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Antonio Delgado
- Research Unit on Bioactive Molecules (RUBAM), Department of Biological Organic Chemistry, Chemical and Environmental Research Institute of Barcelona, (IIQAB-C.S.I.C), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|