Ceramide synthases expression and role of ceramide synthase-2 in the lung: insight from human lung cells and mouse models.

Bibliographic Details
Title: Ceramide synthases expression and role of ceramide synthase-2 in the lung: insight from human lung cells and mouse models.
Authors: Irina Petrache, Krzysztof Kamocki, Christophe Poirier, Yael Pewzner-Jung, Elad L Laviad, Kelly S Schweitzer, Mary Van Demark, Matthew J Justice, Walter C Hubbard, Anthony H Futerman
Source: PLoS ONE, Vol 8, Iss 5, p e62968 (2013)
Publisher Information: Public Library of Science (PLoS), 2013.
Publication Year: 2013
Collection: LCC:Medicine
LCC:Science
Subject Terms: Medicine, Science
More Details: Increases in ceramide levels have been implicated in the pathogenesis of both acute or chronic lung injury models. However, the role of individual ceramide species, or of the enzymes that are responsible for their synthesis, in lung health and disease has not been clarified. We now show that C24- and C16-ceramides are the most abundant lung ceramide species, paralleled by high expression of their synthetic enzymes, ceramide synthase 2 (CerS2) and CerS5, respectively. Furthermore, the ceramide species synthesis in the lung is homeostatically regulated, since mice lacking very long acyl chain C24-ceramides due to genetic deficiency of CerS2 displayed a ten-fold increase in C16-ceramides and C16-dihydroceramides along with elevation of acid sphingomyelinase and CerS5 activities. Despite relatively preserved total lung ceramide levels, inhibition of de novo sphingolipid synthesis at the level of CerS2 was associated with significant airflow obstruction, airway inflammation, and increased lung volumes. Our results suggest that ceramide species homeostasis is crucial for lung health and that CerS2 dysfunction may predispose to inflammatory airway and airspace diseases.
Document Type: article
File Description: electronic resource
Language: English
ISSN: 1932-6203
10621423
Relation: http://europepmc.org/articles/PMC3653891?pdf=render; https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0062968
Access URL: https://doaj.org/article/34e170a9c540460bb459a106214234dc
Accession Number: edsdoj.34e170a9c540460bb459a106214234dc
Database: Directory of Open Access Journals
More Details
ISSN:19326203
10621423
DOI:10.1371/journal.pone.0062968
Published in:PLoS ONE
Language:English