Ceramide signaling in apoptosis. Review uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • The sphingomyelin pathway is a ubiquitous, evolutionarily conserved signaling system initiated by hydrolysis of the plasma membrane phospholipid sphingomyelin to generate ceramide. Ceramide acts as a second messenger in activating the apoptotic cascade. Diverse cytokine receptors and environmental stresses utilize ceramide to signal apoptosis. In several cell systems ceramide links to the stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK)/c-jun kinase (JNK) cascade to signal apoptosis. The engagement of the sphingomyelin pathway in signaling apoptosis is tightly regulated by anti-apoptotic control mechanisms, and the balance between pro- and anti-apoptotic systems determines the magnitude of the apoptotic response in vitro and in vivo. This review describes the known elements and molecular ordering of ceramide-mediated apoptosis and the anti-apoptotic mechanisms that regulate its expression. Understanding of pro- and anti-apoptotic signaling involved in ceramide-mediated apoptosis and the modes of their co-ordinated function may yield opportunities for pharmacological interventions with potential for clinical applications.

publication date

  • January 1, 1997

Research

keywords

  • Apoptosis
  • Caspases
  • Ceramides
  • Signal Transduction

Identity

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 0030838165

PubMed ID

  • 9374036

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 53

issue

  • 3