The role of ceramide in receptor- and stress-induced apoptosis studied in acidic ceramidase-deficient Farber disease cells

The activation of sphingomyelinases leading to the generation of ceramide has been implicated in various apoptotic pathways. However, the role of ceramide as an essential death mediator remains highly controversial. In the present study, we investigated the functional relevance of ceramide in a genetic model by using primary cells from a Farber disease patient. These cells accumulate ceramide as the result of an inherited deficiency of acidic ceramidase. We demonstrate that Farber disease lymphocytes and fibroblasts underwent apoptosis induced by various stress stimuli, including staurosporine, anticancer drugs and gamma -irradiation, equally as normal control cells. In addition, caspase activation by these proapoptotic agents occurred rather similarly in Farber disease and control fibroblasts. Interestingly, Farber disease lymphoid cells underwent apoptosis induced by the CD95 death receptor more rapidly than control cells. Our data therefore suggest that ceramide does not play an essential role as a second messenger in stress-induced apoptosis. However, in accordance with a role in lipid-rich microdomains, ceramide by altering membrane composition may function as an amplifier in CD95-mediated apoptosis.

Roth, J.University of Münster, Germany (författare)
Koch, H. G.University of Münster, Germany (författare)
Harzer, K.University of Tübingen, Germany (författare)
Los, Marek JanDepartment of Immunology and Cell Biology, University of Münster, Germany(Swepub:liu)marlo14 (författare)
Schulze-Osthoff, KlausUniversity of Münster, Germany (författare)
University of Münster, GermanyUniversity of Tübingen, Germany (creator_code:org_t)

Av författaren/redakt...: Burek, C. J.; Roth, J.; Koch, H. G.; Harzer, K.; Los, Marek Jan; Schulze-Osthoff, ...

Om ämnet

MEDICIN OCH HÄLSOVETENSKAP: MEDICIN OCH HÄLS ...; och Klinisk medicin; och Cancer och onkol ...

Kungliga biblioteket hanterar dina personuppgifter i enlighet med EU:s dataskyddsförordning (2018), GDPR. Läs mer om hur det funkar här.
Så här hanterar KB dina uppgifter vid användning av denna tjänst.