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Gaucher’s disease (GD) is a rare autosomal recessive genetic disorder caused by mutations in the GBA1 gene. Mutations in the gene lead to the deficiency of glucocerebrosidase, an enzyme that helps in the breakdown of glucosylceramide (GlcCer) into ceramide and glucose. The lack of the enzyme causes GlcCer accumulation in macrophages, resulting in various phenotypic characteristics of GD. The currently available therapies, including enzyme replacement therapy and substrate reduction therapy, only provide symptomatic relief. However, they grapple with limitations in efficacy, accessibility, and potential side effects. These observations laid the foundation to search for new approaches in the management of GD. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) technology emerges as a beacon of hope, offering novel avenues for future GD therapies. The true magic of iPSCs lies in their ability to differentiate into various cell types. By reprogramming patient-derived cells into iPSCs, researchers can generate personalized models that recapitulate the genetic and phenotypic characteristics of the GD. These models are valuable tools for dissecting intricate disease pathways, developing novel therapeutic targets, and enhancing the drug development process for GD. This review emphasizes the significance of iPSCs technology in GD management. Further, it addresses several challenges that are being encountered in the application of iPSC technology in the management of GD. In addition, it provides several insights into the future aspects of iPSC technology in the management of GD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human GBA1 gene encodes lysosomal acid β-glucocerebrosidase, whose activity is deficient in Gaucher disease (GD). In Drosophila, there are two GBA1 orthologs, Gba1a and Gba1b, and Gba1b is the bona fide GCase encoding gene. Several fly lines with different deletions in the Gba1b were studied in the past. However, since most GD-associated GBA1 mutations are point mutations, we created missense mutations homologous to the two most common GD mutations: the mild N370S mutation (D415S in Drosophila) and the severe L444P mutation (L494P in Drosophila), using the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Flies homozygous for the D415S mutation (dubbed D370S hereafter) presented low GCase activity and substrate accumulation, which led to lysosomal defects, activation of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), inflammation/neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration along with earlier death compared to control flies. Surprisingly, the L494P (called L444P hereafter) flies presented higher GCase activity with fewer lysosomal defects and milder disease in comparison to that presented by the D370S homozygous flies. Treatment with ambroxol had a limited effect on all homozygous fly lines tested. Overall, our results underscore the differences between the fly and human GCase enzymes, as evidenced by the distinct phenotypic outcomes of mutations in flies compared to those observed in human GD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry guava is the fruit of Psidium littorale, which grows in tropical regions. Few studies have examined the hydrophobic compounds and biological activities of this fruit. Therefore, we purified lipophilic compounds of strawberry guava and examined their effects on epidermal and blood vessel barrier functions as well as their anti-melanogenic activity. Lipophilic compounds were isolated by silica gel column chromatography followed by reversed-phase HPLC with MeOH from an EtOH extract of the fruit. Isolated compounds were identified by comparing NMR and MS spectra with those of reference values. The effects of these compounds on epidermal barrier function were evaluated by measuring transepidermal water loss (TEWL) using reconstructed human epidermal keratinocytes (RHEKs). Blood vessel barrier function was examined using dye permeability through human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) layers. Anti-melanogenic activity was assessed by theophylline-induced melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells. We isolated six glucosylceramides (GlcCers) and three digalactosyldiacylglycerols (DGDGs). Only GlcCer[t18:1(8Z)/23:0] significantly lowered TEWL in RHEKs, while GlcCer[t18:1(8Z)/24:0] induced a slight reduction. Regarding the permeability of the HUVEC layer, GlcCer[d18:2(4E,8Z)/16:0] and DGDG (1,2-dilinolenoyl-3-digalactosylglycerol) significantly suppressed dye permeability and this effect was accompanied by the expression of VE-cadherin, which facilitates cell-to-cell adhesion. GlcCers and DGDGs did not exhibit anti-melanogenic activity. Therefore, strawberry guava containing specific GlcCers and DGDGs may promote epidermal and blood vessel barrier functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin barrier function, prevent colon cancer, head and neck cancer, and decrease liver cholesterol. However, the mechanism of action has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we propose a new working hypothesis regarding the health benefits and functions of glucosylceramide: decreased fecal hardness. This hypothesis was verified using an in vitro hardness test. The hardness of feces supplemented with glucosylceramide was significantly lower than that of the control. Based on these results, a new working hypothesis of dietary glucosylceramide was conceived: glucosylceramide passes through the small intestine, interacts with intestinal bacteria, increases the tolerance of these bacteria toward secondary bile acids, and decreases the hardness of feces, and these factors synergistically result in in vivo effects. This hypothesis forms the basis for further studies on the health benefits and functions of dietary glucosylceramides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucosylceramide (GlcCer), a major sphingolipid in plants, possesses various food functions, including improvement of intestinal impairments. This study evaluated rice cooking conditions and cultivars based on GlcCer levels transferred into the digestive juice using an in vitro digestion model to investigate the factors related to GlcCer availability. GlcCer levels transferred into the digestive juice were higher in rice gruel than in boiled rice. The GlcCer levels in the digestive juice of boiled rice varied based on the rice cultivar, whereas those in rice gruel had no difference. Thus, GlcCer in rice was not fully utilized via digestion. Further, bioaccessibility was related to the amylose ratio and added water content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrafine Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) functionalized with various biomolecules constitute an alternative to antibodies as anti-amyloidogenic agents. However, generating stable ultrafine Au NPs with high surface activity is challenging. Here, the capacity of phosphate groups in biomolecules is used to stabilize Au NPs. The characteristics of Au NPs decorated with adenosine mono-, di-, and tri-phosphate are compared as well as adenosine and peptide nucleic acid-containing adenosine as controls. Among them, ATP-Au NPs are found to be superior having small size (2-4 nm) and stability (for several months) when analysed by spectroscopy and electron microscopy. Spectroscopy analysis also revealed that each ATP-stabilized Au NP is decorated with 7-8 molecules of ATP. ThT binding analysis and TEM imaging showed that the ATP-Au NPs efficiently prevented amyloid fibril formation in vitro by Aβ-42, α-Synuclein as well as by the Glucosylceramide metabolite, and disaggregated their pre-formed fibrils. NMR analysis revealed the interaction of the ATP-Au NPs with the amyloid fibrils. The ATP-Au NPs are safe toward cultured SH-SY5Y cells and when co-incubated with α-Synuclein amyloids inhibited their cytotoxicity and readily enter the cells to inhibit formation of amyloid fibrils within them. The results indicates the pharmacological potentials of ATP decorated Au NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaucher disease (GD, OMIM 230800) is one of the most common lysosomal disorders, being caused by the deficient activity of the enzyme acid β-glucocerebrosidase (Gcase). Three clinical forms of Gaucher's disease (GD) are classified based on neurological involvement. Type 1 (GD1) is non-neuronopathic, while types 2 (GD2) and 3 (GD3) are neuronopathic forms. Gcase catalyzes the conversion of glucosylceramide (GlcCer) into ceramide and glucose. As GlcCer accumulates in lysosomal macrophages, it undergoes deacylation to become glycosylsphingosine (lyso-Gb1), which has shown to be a useful and reliable biomarker for the diagnosis and monitoring of treated and untreated patients with GD. Multiple myeloma (MM) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death among patients with GD and monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a non-neoplastic condition that can be a telltale sign of a B clonal proliferation caused by the chronic activation of B cells. This study aimed to quantify Lyso-Gb1 levels in dried blood spots (DBS) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as biomarkers for Gaucher disease (GD) and discuss the association of this biomarker with other clinical parameters. This is a mixed-methods study incorporating both cross-sectional and longitudinal elements within a cohort design with a convenience-sampling strategy. Data collection took place from January 2012 to March 2023. Lyso-Gb1 extraction from DBS involved the use of a methanol–acetonitrile–water mixture, followed by incubation and centrifugation. Analysis was performed using UPLC-MS/MS with MassLynx software version 4.2 and the control group for the DBS measurements included general newborns. CSF Lyso-Gb1 was extracted using ethyl acetate, analyzed by UPLC-MS/MS with a calibration curve, and expressed in pmol/L. Lysosomal activity in CSF was assessed by measuring chitotriosidase (Cht), and other lysosomal enzyme activities were assessed as previously described in the literature. Patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) were used as controls. Thirty-two treated patients (twenty-nine GD1 and three GD3, all on ERT except for one GD type on SRT with eliglustat) and three untreated patients (one GD1, one GD2, and one GD3) were included. When analyzing only the treated GD1 group, a significant correlation was found between lyso-Gb1 and age (rho = −0.447, p = 0.001), ChT, and IgG levels (rho = 0.73, p < 0.001; and rho = 0.36, p = 0.03, respectively). Five GD1 patients (three females, mean age 40 years) also had their CSF collected and analyzed. The average measurement of lyso-Gb1 in CSF was 94 pmol/L (range: 57.1–157.9 pmol/L) versus <6.2 pmol/L in the control group (MLD). This is the first time, to the best of our knowledge, that lyso-Gb1 has been associated with IgG levels. While this finding reflects a risk for MGUS or MM and not only chronic plasma B-cell activation, it still requires further studies. Moreover, the analysis of CSF lyso-Gb1 levels in GD1 patients was demonstrated to be significantly higher than the control group. This raises the hypothesis that CSF lyso-Gb1 may serve as a valuable indicator for neurological involvement in GD, providing insights into the potential implications for neurological manifestations in GD, including GD1. The correlation between lyso-Gb1 and ChT levels in treated GD1 patients further underscores the interconnectedness of lysosomal markers and their relevance in monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over 8% of couples worldwide are affected by infertility and nearly half of these cases are due to male-specific issues where the underlying cause is often unknown. Therefore, discovery of new genetic factors contributing to malespecific infertility in model organisms can enhance our understanding of the etiology of this disorder. Here we show that murine ATP10A, a phospholipid flippase, is highly expressed in male reproductive organs, specifically the testes and vas deferens. Therefore, we tested the influence of ATP10A on reproduction by examining fertility of Atp10A knockout mice. Our findings reveal that Atp10A deficiency leads to male-specific infertility, but does not perturb fertility in the females. The Atp10A deficient male mice exhibit smaller testes, reduced sperm count (oligozoospermia) and lower sperm motility (asthenozoospermia). Additionally, Atp10A deficient mice display testes and vas deferens histopathological abnormalities, as well as altered total and relative amounts of hormones associated with the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Surprisingly, circulating testosterone is elevated 2-fold in the Atp10A knockout mice while luteinizing hormone, follicle stimulating hormone, and inhibin B levels were not significantly different from WT littermates. The knockout mice also exhibit elevated levels of gonadotropin receptors and alterations to ERK, p38 MAPK, Akt, and cPLA2-dependent signaling in the testes. Atp10A was knocked out in the C57BL/6J background, which also carries an inactivating nonsense mutation in the closely related lipid flippase, Atp10D. We have corrected the Atp10D nonsense mutation using CRISPR/Cas9 and determined that loss of Atp10A alone is sufficient to cause infertility in male mice. Collectively, these findings highlight the critical role of ATP10A in male fertility in mice and provide valuable insights into the underlying molecular mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has a lifelong latency period after initial infection. Rarely, however, when the EBV immediate early gene BZLF1 is expressed by a specific stimulus, the virus switches to the lytic cycle to produce progeny viruses. We found that EBV infection reduced levels of various ceramide species in gastric cancer cells. As ceramide is a bioactive lipid implicated in the infection of various viruses, we assessed the effect of ceramide on the EBV lytic cycle. Treatment with C6-ceramide (C6-Cer) induced an increase in the endogenous ceramide pool and increased production of the viral product as well as BZLF1 expression. Treatment with the ceramidase inhibitor ceranib-2 induced EBV lytic replication with an increase in the endogenous ceramide pool. The glucosylceramide synthase inhibitor Genz-123346 inhibited C6-Cer-induced lytic replication. C6-Cer induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and CREB phosphorylation, c-JUN expression, and accumulation of the autophagosome marker LC3B. Treatment with MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126, siERK1&2, or siCREB suppressed C6-Cer-induced EBV lytic replication and autophagy initiation. In contrast, siJUN transfection had no impact on BZLF1 expression. The use of 3-methyladenine (3-MA), an inhibitor targeting class III phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks) to inhibit autophagy initiation, resulted in reduced beclin-1 expression, along with suppressed C6-Cer-induced BZLF1 expression and LC3B accumulation. Chloroquine, an inhibitor of autophagosome-lysosome fusion, increased BZLF1 protein intensity and LC3B accumulation. However, siLC3B transfection had minimal effect on BZLF1 expression. The results suggest the significance of ceramide-related sphingolipid metabolism in controlling EBV latency, highlighting the potential use of drugs targeting sphingolipid metabolism for treating EBV-positive gastric cancer. IMPORTANCE Epstein-Barr virus remains dormant in the host cell but occasionally switches to the lytic cycle when stimulated. However, the exact molecular mechanism of this lytic induction is not well understood. In this study, we demonstrate that Epstein-Barr virus infection leads to a reduction in ceramide levels. Additionally, the restoration of ceramide levels triggers lytic replication of Epstein-Barr virus with increase in phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and CREB. Our study suggests that the Epstein-Barr virus can inhibit lytic replication and remain latent through reduction of host cell ceramide levels. This study reports the regulation of lytic replication by ceramide in Epstein-Barr virus-positive gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multiple isozymes are encoded in the Caenorhabditis elegans genome for the various sphingolipid biosynthesis reactions, but the contributions of individual isozymes are characterized only in part. We developed a simple but effective reversed-phase liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (RPLC-MS/MS) method that enables simultaneous identification and quantification of ceramides (Cer), glucosylceramides (GlcCer), and sphingomyelins (SM) from the same MS run. Validating this sphingolipid profiling method, we show that nearly all 47 quantifiable sphingolipid species found in young adult worms were reduced upon RNA interference (RNAi) of sptl-1 or elo-5, which are both required for synthesis of the id17:1 sphingoid base. We also confirm that HYL-1 and HYL-2, but not LAGR-1, constitute the major ceramide synthase activity with different preference for fatty acid substrates, and that CGT-3, but not CGT-1 and CGT-2, plays a major role in producing GlcCers. Deletion of sms-5 hardly affected SM levels. RNAi of sms-1, sms-2, and sms-3 all lowered the abundance of certain SMs with an odd-numbered N-acyl chains (mostly C21 and C23, with or without hydroxylation). Unexpectedly, sms-2 RNAi and sms-3 RNAi elevated a subset of SM species containing even-numbered N-acyls. This suggests that sphingolipids containing even-numbered N-acyls could be regulated separately, sometimes in opposite directions, from those containing odd-numbered N-acyls, which are presumably monomethyl branched chain fatty acyls. We also find that ceramide levels are kept in balance with those of GlcCers and SMs. These findings underscore the effectiveness of this RPLC-MS/MS method in studies of C. elegans sphingolipid biology.

Gaucher disease (GD) is a recessively inherited lysosomal storage disorder characterized by a deficiency of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase (GBA1). This deficiency results in the accumulation of its substrate, glucosylceramide (GlcCer), within lysosomes. Here, we investigated lysosomal abnormalities in fibroblasts derived from patients with GD. It is noteworthy that the cellular distribution of lysosomes and lysosomal proteolytic activity remained largely unaffected in GD fibroblasts. However, we found that lysosomal membranes of GD fibroblasts were susceptible to damage when exposed to a lysosomotropic agent. Moreover, the susceptibility of lysosomal membranes to a lysosomotropic agent could be partly restored by exogenous expression of wild-type GBA1. Here, we report that the lysosomal membrane integrity is altered in GD fibroblasts, but lysosomal distribution and proteolytic activity is not significantly altered. Key words: glucosylceramide, lysosome, Gaucher disease, lysosomotropic agent

The human GBA1 gene encodes lysosomal acid β-glucocerebrosidase, whose activity is deficient in Gaucher disease (GD). In Drosophila, there are two GBA1 orthologs, Gba1a and Gba1b, and Gba1b is the bona fide GCase encoding gene. Several fly lines with different deletions in the Gba1b were studied in the past. However, since most GD-associated GBA1 mutations are point mutations, we created missense mutations homologous to the two most common GD mutations: the mild N370S mutation (D415S in Drosophila) and the severe L444P mutation (L494P in Drosophila), using the CRISPR-Cas9 technology. Flies homozygous for the D415S mutation (dubbed D370S hereafter) presented low GCase activity and substrate accumulation, which led to lysosomal defects, activation of the Unfolded Protein Response (UPR), inflammation/neuroinflammation, and neurodegeneration along with earlier death compared to control flies. Surprisingly, the L494P (called L444P hereafter) flies presented higher GCase activity with fewer lysosomal defects and milder disease in comparison to that presented by the D370S homozygous flies. Treatment with ambroxol had a limited effect on all homozygous fly lines tested. Overall, our results underscore the differences between the fly and human GCase enzymes, as evidenced by the distinct phenotypic outcomes of mutations in flies compared to those observed in human GD patients.

Lipid transport is an essential cellular process with importance to human health, disease development, and therapeutic strategies. Type IV P-type ATPases (P4-ATPases) have been identified as membrane lipid flippases by utilizing nitrobenzoxadiazole (NBD)-labeled lipids as substrates. Among the 14 human type IV P-type ATPases, ATP10D was shown to flip NBD-glucosylceramide (GlcCer) across the plasma membrane. Here, we found that conversion of incorporated GlcCer (d18:1/12:0) to other sphingolipids is accelerated in cells exogenously expressing ATP10D but not its ATPase-deficient mutant. These findings suggest that 1) ATP10D flips unmodified GlcCer as well as NBD-GlcCer at the plasma membrane and 2) ATP10D can translocate extracellular GlcCer, which is subsequently converted to other metabolites. Notably, exogenous expression of ATP10D led to the reduction in cellular hexosylceramide levels. Moreover, the expression of GlcCer flippases, including ATP10D, also reduced cellular hexosylceramide levels in fibroblasts derived from patients with Gaucher disease, which is a lysosomal storage disorder with excess GlcCer accumulation. Our study highlights the contribution of ATP10D to the regulation of cellular GlcCer levels and maintaining lipid homeostasis.

Gaucher disease (GD) is a rare genetic metabolic disorder characterized by a dysfunction of the lysosomal glycoside hydrolase glucocerebrosidase (GCase) due to mutations in the gene GBA1, leading to the cellular accumulation of glucosylceramide (GlcCer). While most of the current research focuses on the primary accumulated material, lesser attention has been paid to secondary storage materials and their reciprocal intertwining. By using a novel approach based on flow cytometry and fluorescent labelling, we monitored changes in storage materials directly in fibroblasts derived from GD patients carrying N370S/RecNcil and homozygous L444P or R131C mutations with respect to wild type. In L444P and R131C fibroblasts, we detected not only the primary accumulation of GlcCer accumulation but also a considerable secondary increase in GM1 storage, comparable with the one observed in infantile patients affected by GM1 gangliosidosis. In addition, the ability of a trivalent trihydroxypiperidine iminosugar compound (CV82), which previously showed good pharmacological chaperone activity on GCase enzyme, to reduce the levels of storage materials in L444P and R131C fibroblasts was tested. Interestingly, treatment with different concentrations of CV82 led to a significant reduction in GM1 accumulation only in L444P fibroblasts, without significantly affecting GlcCer levels. The compound CV82 was selective against the GCase enzyme with respect to the β-Galactosidase enzyme, which was responsible for the catabolism of GM1 ganglioside. The reduction in GM1-ganglioside level cannot be therefore ascribed to a direct action of CV82 on β-Galactosidase enzyme, suggesting that GM1 decrease is rather related to other unknown mechanisms that follow the direct action of CV82 on GCase. In conclusion, this work indicates that the tracking of secondary storages can represent a key step for a better understanding of the pathways involved in the severity of GD, also underlying the importance of developing drugs able to reduce both primary and secondary storage-material accumulations in GD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder (LSD) caused by the defective activity of acid β‐glucosidase (GCase) which results from mutations in GBA1. Neurological forms of GD (nGD) can be generated in mice by intra‐peritoneal injection of conduritol B‐epoxide (CBE) which irreversibly inhibits GCase. Using this approach, a number of pathological pathways have been identified in mouse brain by RNAseq. However, unlike transcriptomics, proteomics gives direct information about protein expression which is more likely to provide insight into which cellular pathways are impacted in disease. We now perform non‐targeted, mass spectrometry‐based quantitative proteomics on brains from mice injected with 50 mg/kg body weight CBE for 13 days. Of the 5038 detected proteins, 472 were differentially expressed between control and CBE‐injected mice of which 104 were selected for further analysis based on higher stringency criteria. We also compared these proteins with differentially expressed genes (DEGs) identified by RNAseq. Some lysosomal proteins were up‐regulated as was interferon signaling, whereas levels of ion channel related proteins and some proteins associated with neurotransmitter signaling were reduced, as was cholesterol metabolism. One protein, transglutaminase 1 (TGM1), which is elevated in a number of neurodegenerative diseases, was absent from the control group but was found at high levels in CBE‐injected mice, and located in the extracellular matrix (ECM) in layer V of the cortex and intracellularly in Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Together, the proteomics data confirm previous RNAseq data and add additional mechanistic understanding about cellular pathways that may play a role in nGD pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin barrier function, prevent colon cancer, head and neck cancer, and decrease liver cholesterol. However, the mechanism of action has not yet been elucidated. In this study, we propose a new working hypothesis regarding the health benefits and functions of glucosylceramide: decreased fecal hardness. This hypothesis was verified using an in vitro hardness test. The hardness of feces supplemented with glucosylceramide was significantly lower than that of the control. Based on these results, a new working hypothesis of dietary glucosylceramide was conceived: glucosylceramide passes through the small intestine, interacts with intestinal bacteria, increases the tolerance of these bacteria toward secondary bile acids, and decreases the hardness of feces, and these factors synergistically result in in vivo effects. This hypothesis forms the basis for further studies on the health benefits and functions of dietary glucosylceramides.

Fungal glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are important membrane components which play a key role in vesicle trafficking. To assess the importance of GSLs in the fungal life cycle, we performed a mutant phenotypic study of the acidic and neutral GSL biosynthetic pathways in Neurospora crassa. GSL biosynthesis begins with two reactions leading up to the formation of dihydrosphingosine. The first of these reactions is catalyzed by serine palmitoyltransferase and generates 3-keto dihydrosphinganine. In N. crassa, this reaction is catalyzed by GSL-1 and GSL-2 and is required for viability. The second reaction is carried out by GSL-3, a 3-keto dihydrosphinoganine reductase to generate dihydrosphingosine, which is used for the synthesis of neutral and acidic GSLs. We found that deletion mutations in the acidic GSL pathway leading up to the formation of mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide are lethal, indicating that acidic GSLs are essential for viability in N. crassa. Once mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide is made, it is further modified by GSL-5, an inositol-phosphoceramide-B C26 hydroxylase, which adds a hydroxyl group to the amide-linked fatty acid. GSL-5 is not required for viability but gives a clear mutant phenotype affecting all stages of the life cycle. Our results show that the synthesis of mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide is required for viability and that the modification of the amide-linked fatty acid is important for acidic GSL functionality. We also examined the neutral GSL biosynthetic pathway and identified the presence of glucosylceramide. The deletion of neutral GSL biosynthetic genes affected hyphal morphology, vegetative growth rate, conidiation, and female development. Our results indicate that the synthesis of neutral GSLs is essential for normal growth and development of N. crassa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosphingolipids (GSL) are plasma membrane components that influence molecular processes involved in cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic responses. They also modulate receptor tyrosine kinases involved in EMT. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that regulate GSLs in cancer has important therapeutic potential. One critical regulator of GSLs is the lysosomal glucosylceramidase β1 (GBA) that catalyzes the last step in GSL degradation. We show that, in cancer, GBA copy number amplifications and increased expression are widespread. We show that depleting GBA in squamous cell carcinoma cell lines results in a mesenchymal-to-epithelial shift, decreased invasion and migration, increased chemotherapeutic sensitivity, and decreased activation of receptor tyrosine kinases that are involved in regulating EMT. Untargeted lipidomics shows that GBA depletion had significant effects on sphingolipids and GSLs, suggesting that increased GBA activity in cancer sustains EMT and chemoresistance by modulating receptor tyrosine kinase activity and signaling via effects on the cellular lipid profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Molecules related to glucocerebrosidase (GCase) are potential biomarkers for development of compounds targeting GBA1‐associated Parkinson's disease (GBA‐PD). Objectives: Assessing variability of various glycosphingolipids (GSLs) in plasma, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) across GBA‐PD, idiopathic PD (iPD), and healthy volunteers (HVs). Methods: Data from five studies were combined. Variability was assessed of glucosylceramide (various isoforms), lactosylceramide (various isoforms), glucosylsphingosine, galactosylsphingosine, GCase activity (using fluorescent 4‐methylumbeliferryl‐β‐glucoside), and GCase protein (using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay) in plasma, PBMCs, and CSF if available, in GBA‐PD, iPD, and HVs. GSLs in leukocyte subtypes were compared in HVs. Principal component analysis was used to explore global patterns in GSLs, clinical characteristics (Movement Disorder Society – Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part 3 [MDS‐UPDRS‐3], Mini‐Mental State Examination [MMSE], GBA1 mutation type), and participant status (GBA‐PD, iPD, HVs). Results: Within‐subject between‐day variability ranged from 5.8% to 44.5% and was generally lower in plasma than in PBMCs. Extracellular glucosylceramide levels (plasma) were slightly higher in GBA‐PD compared with both iPD and HVs, while intracellular levels were comparable. GSLs in the different matrices (plasma, PBMCs, CSF) did not correlate. Both lactosylceramide and glucosylsphingosine were more abundant in granulocytes compared with monocytes and lymphocytes. Absolute levels of GSL isoforms differed greatly. GBA1 mutation types could not be differentiated based on GSL data. Conclusions: Glucosylceramide can stably be measured over days in both plasma and PBMCs and may be used as a biomarker in clinical trials targeting GBA‐PD. Glucosylsphingosine and lactosylceramide are stable in plasma but are strongly affected by leukocyte subtypes in PBMCs. GBA‐PD could be differentiated from iPD and HVs, primarily based on glucosylceramide levels in plasma. © 2023 The Authors. Movement Disorders published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Glucosylceramides are a class of membrane lipids that serve as vital structural and signaling molecules in eukaryotes. In this study, we explored the function of FocGCS, a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) that causes Fusarium wilt in banana plants. FocGCS is highly expressed in germinating conidia and during early infection stage of Foc TR4. Disruption of FocGCS resulted in severely retarded vegetative growth, reduced conidiation, and production of morphologically abnormal conidia. Sphingolipid profiling revealed that the FocGCS null mutant lacks glucosylceramide. Pathogenicity assays on banana plants revealed substantial loss of virulence in the FocGCS null mutant. Moreover, biochemical analyses indicated that FocGCS is involved in cell wall integrity but is not required for oxidative and osmotic stress tolerance in Foc TR4. Transcriptome analysis suggested that disruption of FocGCS strongly affects transmembrane transport in Foc TR4. Our findings show that GCS is essential for normal fungal growth and pathogenesis in Foc TR4.

Nutritional foods are concentrated sources of molecules with a nutritional or physiological effect which contain nutrients. There is a category, "nutricosmetics", defined as ingestible natural health products that enhance the function and appearance of human skin, nails, and hair. A new variety of Flammulina velutipes (F. velutipes), Oki-Shirayuki 919, was explored to ascertain whether its components have functions of nutricosmetics. We focused on physiological effects for enhancing the human skin condition, such as moisturizing or barrier functions in F. velutipes. A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study was performed between January and March 2022. Among healthy men and women (n = 30) aged 20 to 59 years, the test group (n = 15) took a test product which included F. velutipes dry powder, and the placebo group (n = 15) took a placebo (a similar product in which the F. velutipes dry powder was replaced with plum fruit paste). Since the amount of increase in skin hydration over four weeks in the test group was significantly larger than that in the placebo group, a significant difference between the two groups was observed (p = 0.033). F. velutipe was suggested to have some physiological functions such as improving skin moisture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, improvement of skin condition through dietary modification has attracted attention. Pineapple, a popular fresh fruit, is rich in various nutrients including glucosylceramide, which are expected to improve the functions of skin such as protection. In this study, in order to clarify the health effects of pineapple, a randomized controlled trial was conducted in healthy adult men and women with skin problems and tendency for constipation. Twenty-four subjects allocated to the pineapple intake group ingested 100 g of pineapple daily for 8 weeks, while 24 subjects were allocated to the non-intake group (control, no intake of pineapple). As a result, parameters of dryness, wrinkles, and skin color of the pineapple intake group were significantly improved both subjectively and objectively. In addition, significant improvements in defecation status and intestinal flora were observed. These results suggest that long-term intake of pineapple may improve skin health and the intestinal environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toshihiko Enomoto, Ayana Kojima-Nakamura, Kazuya Kodaira, Yoshifumi Oguro, Atsushi Kurahashi Hakkaisan Brewery Co., Ltd, Minamiuonuma, Niigata, JapanCorrespondence: Atsushi Kurahashi, Hakkaisan Brewery Co., Ltd, 1051 Nagamori, Minamiuonuma, Niigata, 949-7112, Japan, Tel +81 25-788-0910, Fax +81 25-788-0911, Email a.kurahashi@hakkaisan.jpPurpose: Improvement in water content and skin barrier function on human skin is believed to be induced by koji amazake, a non-alcoholic beverage derived from rice fermented by Aspergillus oryzae (A. oryzae). In order to scientifically identify the effects of koji amazake on human skin, we performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group comparative trial and quantified the content of glucosylceramide (GlcCer) which would be responsible for the effects.Participants and Methods: Healthy adults concerned with their skin dryness were divided into koji amazake (N = 30) or placebo group (N = 30). During this test, the test beverages were ingested at 118 g/day. Their water content and trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL) were measured at 0 week (baseline) and 8 weeks. The content of GlcCer in test beverages was quantified by HPLC-ELSD.Results: In comparison with the placebo group, the water content in the left cheek of individuals in the koji amazake group was maintained for 8 weeks. In addition, changes in water content from the baseline to 8 weeks differed significantly between the koji amazake (0.19) and placebo groups (− 3.98). Unexpectedly, there was no significant difference in the TEWL between koji amazake and placebo group. We analyzed GlcCer in both koji amazake and placebo beverages, which were found to contain 1.35 ± 0.11 and 0.30 ± 0.07 mg/118 g, respectively. The amount of GlcCer in koji amazake was approximately equal to the dosage of plant-derived GlcCer which has the ability to improve water content and TEWL in humans.Conclusion: Present study has shown that intake of koji amazake contributes to maintain the water content only on the left cheek. The content of GlcCer derived from koji amazake was adequate for maintenance of the water content compared to previous reports. Therefore, it was concluded that GlcCer in koji amazake acts as a functional ingredient.Keywords: Aspergillus oryzae, glucosylceramide, koji amazake, water content

Gaucher disease (GD) is a rare genetic metabolic disorder characterized by a dysfunction of the lysosomal glycoside hydrolase glucocerebrosidase (GCase) due to mutations in the gene GBA1, leading to the cellular accumulation of glucosylceramide (GlcCer). While most of the current research focuses on the primary accumulated material, lesser attention has been paid to secondary storage materials and their reciprocal intertwining. By using a novel approach based on flow cytometry and fluorescent labelling, we monitored changes in storage materials directly in fibroblasts derived from GD patients carrying N370S/RecNcil and homozygous L444P or R131C mutations with respect to wild type. In L444P and R131C fibroblasts, we detected not only the primary accumulation of GlcCer accumulation but also a considerable secondary increase in GM1 storage, comparable with the one observed in infantile patients affected by GM1 gangliosidosis. In addition, the ability of a trivalent trihydroxypiperidine iminosugar compound (CV82), which previously showed good pharmacological chaperone activity on GCase enzyme, to reduce the levels of storage materials in L444P and R131C fibroblasts was tested. Interestingly, treatment with different concentrations of CV82 led to a significant reduction in GM1 accumulation only in L444P fibroblasts, without significantly affecting GlcCer levels. The compound CV82 was selective against the GCase enzyme with respect to the β-Galactosidase enzyme, which was responsible for the catabolism of GM1 ganglioside. The reduction in GM1-ganglioside level cannot be therefore ascribed to a direct action of CV82 on β-Galactosidase enzyme, suggesting that GM1 decrease is rather related to other unknown mechanisms that follow the direct action of CV82 on GCase. In conclusion, this work indicates that the tracking of secondary storages can represent a key step for a better understanding of the pathways involved in the severity of GD, also underlying the importance of developing drugs able to reduce both primary and secondary storage-material accumulations in GD.

Abstract Background Gangliosides are highly enriched in the brain and are critical for its normal development and function. However, in some rare neurometabolic diseases, a deficiency in lysosomal ganglioside hydrolysis is pathogenic and leads to early-onset neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation, demyelination, and dementia. Increasing evidence also suggests that more subtle ganglioside accumulation contributes to the pathogenesis of more common neurological disorders including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Notably, ganglioside GM3 levels are elevated in the brains of AD patients and in several mouse models of AD, and plasma GM3 levels positively correlate with disease severity in AD patients. Methods Tg2576 AD model mice were fed chow formulated with a small molecule inhibitor of glucosylceramide synthase (GCSi) to determine whether reducing glycosphingolipid synthesis affected aberrant GM3 accumulation, amyloid burden, and disease manifestations in cognitive impairment. GM3 was measured with LC-MS, amyloid burden with ELISA and amyloid red staining, and memory was assessed using the contextual fear chamber test. Results GCSi mitigated soluble Aβ42 accumulation in the brains of AD model mice when treatment was started prophylactically. Remarkably, GCSi treatment also reduced soluble Aβ42 levels and amyloid plaque burden in aged (i.e., 70 weeks old) AD mice with preexisting neuropathology. Our analysis of contextual memory in Tg2576 mice showed that impairments in remote (cortical-dependent) memory consolidation preceded deficits in short-term (hippocampal-dependent) contextual memory, which was consistent with soluble Aβ42 accumulation occurring more rapidly in the cortex of AD mice compared to the hippocampus. Notably, GCSi treatment significantly stabilized remote memory consolidation in AD mice—especially in mice with enhanced cognitive training. This finding was consistent with GCSi treatment lowering aberrant GM3 accumulation in the cortex of AD mice. Conclusions Collectively, our results indicate that glycosphingolipids regulated by GCS are important modulators of Aβ neuropathology and that glycosphingolipid homeostasis plays a critical role in the consolidation of remote memories.

The most common genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease (PD) is heterozygous mutations GBA1, which encodes for the lysosomal enzyme, glucocerebrosidase. Reduced glucocerebrosidase activity associates with an accumulation of abnormal a-synuclein (a-syn) called Lewy pathology, which characterizes PD. PD patients heterozygous for the neuronotypic GBA1L444P mutation (GBA11/L444P) have a 5.6-fold increased risk of cognitive impairments. In this study, we used GBA11/L444P mice of either sex to determine its effects on lipid metabolism, expression of synaptic proteins, behavior, and a-syn inclusion formation. At 3 months of age, GBA11/L444P mice demonstrated impaired contextual fear conditioning, and increased motor activity. Hippocampal levels of vGLUT1 were selectively reduced in GBA11/L444P mice. We show, using mass spectrometry, that GBA1L444P expression increased levels of glucosylsphingosine, but not glucosylceramide, in the brains and serum of GBA11/L444P mice. Templated induction of a-syn pathology in mice showed an increase in a-syn inclusion formation in the hippocampus of GBA11/L444P mice compared with GBA11/1 mice, but not in the cortex, or substantia nigra pars compacta. Pathologic a-syn reduced SNc dopamine neurons by 50% in both GBA11/1 and GBA11/L444P mice. Treatment with a GlcCer synthase inhibitor did not affect abundance of a-syn inclusions in the hippocampus or rescue dopamine neuron loss. Overall, these data suggest the importance of evaluating the contribution of elevated glucosylsphingosine to PD phenotypes. Further, our data suggest that expression of neuronotypic GBA1L444P may cause defects in the hippocampus, which may be a mechanism by which cognitive decline is more prevalent in individuals with GBA1-PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucosylceramide (GlcCer) synthesis by the enzyme glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) occurs on the cytosolic leaflet of the Golgi and is the first important step for the synthesis of complex glycosphingolipids (GSLs) that takes place inside the lumen. Apart from serving as a precursor for glycosylation, newly synthesized GlcCer is also transported to the plasma membrane and secreted onto HDL in the circulation. The mechanism by which GlcCer is transported to HDL remains unclear. Recently, we showed that ATP-binding cassette transporter protein C10 (ABCC10) plays an important role in the synthesis and efflux of GlcCer in Huh-7 cells. In this study, we found that treatment of Huh-7 cells with an ABCC10 inhibitor, sorafenib, decreased the synthesis and efflux of GlcCer. However, treatment of cells with cepharanthine reduced only the efflux, but not synthesis, of GlcCer. These results indicate that ABCC10 may regulate the synthesis and efflux of GlcCer differentially in liver cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramide (Cer) plays an important role in skin barrier functions in the stratum corneum (SC). The ingestion of food-derived glucosylceramides (GlcCer) attenuates transepidermal water loss (TEWL). However, the moisturizing effects of single molecules of GlcCer and Cer remain unclear. Therefore, we herein purified 13 GlcCer and 6 Cer, including elasticamide, which has the same structure as human Cer[AP], from rice and compared their epidermal moisturizing effects in a reconstructed human epidermal keratinization model. The results obtained showed that 10 µM of 5 GlcCer[d18:2] with a 4E,8Z sphingadienine and C18 to C26 fatty acids and 10 µg/mL of 3 Cer with C23 or C24 fatty acids significantly reduced TEWL. The moisturizing effects of these GlcCer were dependent on the length of fatty acids. Furthermore, 10 µg/mL of elasticamide increased the SC Cer contents by promoting the expression of GlcCer synthase. Electron microscopic observations revealed that 1 µM of GlcCer[d18:2(4E,8Z)/26:0] increased the number of keratohyalin granules and desmosomes. Immunostaining and Western blotting indicated that 1 µM of GlcCer[d18:2(4E,8Z)/26:0] up-regulated the expression of filaggrin and corneodesmosin, which contribute to epidermal hydration. This comparative study on epidermal moisturization by GlcCer and Cer isolated from rice revealed differences in their hydration mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ingestion of plant and fungal glucosylceramides is known to reduce colon carcinogenesis and skin barrier damage in mice and humans. However, such effects in animal experiments have not been revealed for plant and fungal ceramides because the content of ceramides contained in plants and fungi is so low that the large amount required for animal experiments is difficult to obtain. Noting that the fungus shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) is rich in a glucosylceramide, (4E,8E)-N-d-2 -hydroxypalmitoyl-1-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-9-methyl-4,8-sphingadienine [Glc-d19:2(4E,8E,9Me)-h16:0], we developed a new method to purify this fungal glucosylceramide using ethanol precipitation and high-performance liquid chromatography. We also developed a new method to produce large amounts of a ceramide [d19:2(4E,8E,9Me)-h16:0] from this purified glucosylceramide using human glycoside hydrolase family 30 glucocerebrosidase (imiglucerase). These methods will be useful for elucidating the physiological function by ingestion of fungal ceramides in animal experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucosylceramides are a class of membrane lipids that serve as vital structural and signaling molecules in eukaryotes. In this study, we explored the function of FocGCS, a glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) in Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense tropical race 4 (Foc TR4) that causes Fusarium wilt in banana plants. FocGCS is highly expressed in germinating conidia and during early infection stage of Foc TR4. Disruption of FocGCS resulted in severely retarded vegetative growth, reduced conidiation, and production of morphologically abnormal conidia. Sphingolipid profiling revealed that the FocGCS null mutant lacks glucosylceramide. Pathogenicity assays on banana plants revealed substantial loss of virulence in the FocGCS null mutant. Moreover, biochemical analyses indicated that FocGCS is involved in cell wall integrity but is not required for oxidative and osmotic stress tolerance in Foc TR4. Transcriptome analysis suggested that disruption of FocGCS strongly affects transmembrane transport in Foc TR4. Our findings show that GCS is essential for normal fungal growth and pathogenesis in Foc TR4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Age‐induced hair graying (AIHG)is one of the visual hallmarks of aging, but its biological mechanism remains unclear. Changes in the hair‐follicle lipid profiles associated with AIHG have not been defined. Objectives: To define the differences in the hair follicle lipid profiles of female black and gray/white hair follicles. Methods: The lipid profile of hair follicles was determined by ultra‐performance liquid chromatography‐quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (UPLC‐QTOF‐MS). Multivariate data analysis was used to determine changes in the lipid profiles in hair follicle roots. Results: We identified the different lipids in hair follicle roots between black hair (HB) and white hair (HW) and analyzed the key lipids that contribute to the development of HW. The results showed that the total lipid content of the HW was significantly reduced. There were significant differences in sphingolipid content, with HB higher than HW. Two subclasses, glucosylceramide (GlcCer) and galactosylceramide, were significantly different. GlcCer, phosphatidylserine, and phosphatidic acid levels were higher in the HB group. The sphingolipid metabolism involved in GlcCer(d18:1/24:1[15Z]) is a statistically significant lipid metabolic pathway. Conclusion: Five major individual lipid candidates are involved in the production of AIHG. GlcCer shows a significant reduction in HW and is a potential target for further research into AIHG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sphingolipids are the most diverse class of lipids due to the numerous variations in their structural components. This diversity is also reflected in their extremely different functions. Sphingolipids are not only constituents of cell membranes but have emerged as key signaling molecules involved in a variety of cellular functions, such as cell growth and differentiation, proliferation and apoptotic cell death. Lipidomic analyses in clinical research have identified pathways and products of sphingolipid metabolism that are altered in several human pathologies. In this article, we describe how to properly design a lipidomic experiment in clinical research, how to handle plasma and serum samples for this purpose, and how to measure sphingolipids using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry., (© 2025. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Fungal glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are important membrane components which play a key role in vesicle trafficking. To assess the importance of GSLs in the fungal life cycle, we performed a mutant phenotypic study of the acidic and neutral GSL biosynthetic pathways in Neurospora crassa. GSL biosynthesis begins with two reactions leading up to the formation of dihydrosphingosine. The first of these reactions is catalyzed by serine palmitoyltransferase and generates 3-keto dihydrosphinganine. In N. crassa, this reaction is catalyzed by GSL-1 and GSL-2 and is required for viability. The second reaction is carried out by GSL-3, a 3-keto dihydrosphinoganine reductase to generate dihydrosphingosine, which is used for the synthesis of neutral and acidic GSLs. We found that deletion mutations in the acidic GSL pathway leading up to the formation of mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide are lethal, indicating that acidic GSLs are essential for viability in N. crassa. Once mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide is made, it is further modified by GSL-5, an inositol-phosphoceramide-B C26 hydroxylase, which adds a hydroxyl group to the amide-linked fatty acid. GSL-5 is not required for viability but gives a clear mutant phenotype affecting all stages of the life cycle. Our results show that the synthesis of mannosylinositol-phosphoceramide is required for viability and that the modification of the amide-linked fatty acid is important for acidic GSL functionality. We also examined the neutral GSL biosynthetic pathway and identified the presence of glucosylceramide. The deletion of neutral GSL biosynthetic genes affected hyphal morphology, vegetative growth rate, conidiation, and female development. Our results indicate that the synthesis of neutral GSLs is essential for normal growth and development of N. crassa.

In addition to sphingomyelin and ceramide, sugar derivatives of ceramides, hexosylceramides (HexCer) are the major circulating sphingolipids. We have shown that silencing of ABCA1 transmembrane protein function for instance in cases of loss of function of ABCA1 gene results in low levels of HDL as well as a concomitant reduction in plasma HexCer levels. However, proteins involved in hepatic synthesis and egress of HexCer from cells is not well known although ABCA1 seems to be indirectly controlling the HexCer plasma levels by supporting HDL synthesis. In this study, we hypothesized that protein(s) other than ABCA1 are involved in the transport of HexCer to HDL. Using an unbiased knockdown approach, we found that ATP-binding cassette transporter protein C10 (ABCC10) participates in the synthesis of HexCer and thereby affects egress to HDL in human hepatoma Huh-7 cells. Furthermore, livers from ABCC10 deficient mice had significantly lower levels of HexCer compared to wild type livers. These studies suggest that ABCC10 partakes in modulating the synthesis and subsequent efflux of HexCer to HDL in liver cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucosylceramides (GlcCer), which are present in many edible plants, suppress melanin production in mouse melanocytes. Rice GlcCer consist of multiple molecules that comprise different types of sphingoid bases as well as diverse lengths and stereotypes of free fatty acids. Adjacent to the GlcCer fraction, there are free ceramides (Cer) as minor constituents. However, the anti‐melanogenic activities of individual GlcCer and Cer remain unknown. Therefore, we herein isolated 13 GlcCer and elasticamide, a Cer [AP] from the gummy by‐products of rice bran oil, and examined their anti‐melanogenic activities. In theophylline‐induced melanogenesis in B16 melanoma cells, GlcCer [d18:2(4E,8Z)/18:0], GlcCer [d18:2(4E,8Z)/20:0], and elasticamide significantly suppressed melanin production with IC50 values of 6.6, 5.2, and 3.9 μM, respectively. Elasticamide, but not GlcCer [d18:2 (4E,8Z)/20:0], suppressed melanogenesis in human 3D‐cultured melanocytes and the expression of tyrosinase‐related protein 1 in normal human melanocytes. Based on these results, we conducted a clinical trial on the effects of rice ceramide extract (Oryza ceramide®), containing 1.2 mg/day of GlcCer and 56 μg/day of elasticamide, on UV‐B‐induced skin pigmentation. The ingestion of Oryza ceramide® for 8 weeks significantly suppressed the accumulation of melanin 7 days after UV irradiation (1288 and 1546 mJ/cm2·S). Rice‐derived GlcCer and elasticamide, which exhibited anti‐melanogenic activities, were suggested to contribute to the suppressive effects of Oryza ceramide® on UV‐induced skin pigmentation. Although the mechanisms underlying the anti‐melanogenic activities of GlcCer remain unclear, elasticamide was identified as a promising Cer that exhibits anti‐melanogenic activity. Practical applications: The anti‐melanogenic activities of rice‐derived GlcCer and elasticamide currently remain unclear. We herein demonstrated the inhibitory effects of individual GlcCer and elasticamide on melanogenesis in melanoma cells, melanocytes, and human skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis—a systemic inflammatory disease—is the number one cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. As such, the prevention of disease progression is of global interest in order to reduce annual deaths at a significant scale. Atherosclerosis is characterized by plaque formation in the arteries, resulting in vascular events such as ischemic stroke or myocardial infarction. A better understanding of the underlying pathophysiological processes at the cellular and molecular level is indispensable to identify novel therapeutic targets that may alleviate disease initiation or progression. Sphingolipids—a lipid class named after the chimeric creature sphinx—are considered to play a critical and, metaphorically, equally chimeric regulatory role in atherogenesis. Previous studies identified six common sphingolipids, namely dihydroceramide (DhCer), ceramide (Cer), sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), sphingomyelin (SM), lactosylceramide (LacCer), and glucosylceramide (GluCer) in carotid plaques, and demonstrated their potential as inducers of plaque inflammation. In this review, we point out their specific roles in atherosclerosis by focusing on different cell types, carrier molecules, enzymes, and receptors involved in atherogenesis. Whereas we assume mainly atheroprotective effects for GluCer and LacCer, the sphingolipids DhCer, Cer, SM and S1P mediate chimeric functions. Initial studies demonstrate the successful use of interventions in the sphingolipid pathway to prevent atherosclerosis. However, as atherosclerosis is a multifactorial disease with a variety of underlying cellular processes, it is imperative for future research to emphasize the circumstances in which sphingolipids exert protective or progressive functions and to evaluate their therapeutic benefits in a spatiotemporal manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramide prepared from glucosylceramide (GlcCer) with Gluceribacter canis NATH-2371T was administrated to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) model mice. Dietary ceramide significantly suppressed the decrease in final body weight, and the increase in the disease activity index and myeloperoxidase activity more greatly than GlcCer in IBD mice. Intestinal microbiome profiles were found to be altered in IBD mice, but ceramide counteracted the changes. These results suggest that dietary plant-based ceramide may alleviate symptoms of IBD in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-glucocerebrosidase is a lysosomal hydrolase involved in the catabolism of the sphingolipid glucosylceramide. Biallelic loss of function mutations in this enzyme are responsible for the onset of Gaucher disease, while monoallelic β-glucocerebrosidase mutations represent the first genetic risk factor for Parkinson's disease. Despite this evidence, the molecular mechanism linking the impairment in β-glucocerebrosidase activity with the onset of neurodegeneration in still unknown. In this frame, we developed two in vitro neuronal models of β-glucocerebrosidase deficiency, represented by mouse cerebellar granule neurons and human-induced pluripotent stem cells-derived dopaminergic neurons treated with the specific β-glucocerebrosidase inhibitor conduritol B epoxide. Neurons deficient for β-glucocerebrosidase activity showed a lysosomal accumulation of glucosylceramide and the onset of neuronal damage. Moreover, we found that neurons react to the lysosomal impairment by the induction of their biogenesis and exocytosis. This latter event was responsible for glucosylceramide accumulation also at the plasma membrane level, with an alteration in lipid and protein composition of specific signaling microdomains. Collectively, our data suggest that β-glucocerebrosidase loss of function impairs the lysosomal compartment, establishing a lysosome–plasma membrane axis responsible for modifications in the plasma membrane architecture and possible alterations of intracellular signaling pathways, leading to neuronal damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosphingolipids (GSL) are plasma membrane components that influence molecular processes involved in cancer initiation, progression, and therapeutic responses. They also modulate receptor tyrosine kinases involved in EMT. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms that regulate GSLs in cancer has important therapeutic potential. One critical regulator of GSLs is the lysosomal glucosylceramidase β1 (GBA) that catalyzes the last step in GSL degradation. We show that, in cancer, GBA copy number amplifications and increased expression are widespread. We show that depleting GBA in squamous cell carcinoma cell lines results in a mesenchymal-to-epithelial shift, decreased invasion and migration, increased chemotherapeutic sensitivity, and decreased activation of receptor tyrosine kinases that are involved in regulating EMT. Untargeted lipidomics shows that GBA depletion had significant effects on sphingolipids and GSLs, suggesting that increased GBA activity in cancer sustains EMT and chemoresistance by modulating receptor tyrosine kinase activity and signaling via effects on the cellular lipid profile.

Human brain lipidomics have elucidated structural lipids and lipid signal transduction pathways in neurologic diseases. Such studies have traditionally sourced tissue exclusively from brain bank biorepositories, however, limited inventories signal that these facilities may not be able to keep pace with this growing research domain. Formalin fixed, whole body donors willed to academic institutions offer a potential supplemental tissue source, the lipid profiles of which have yet to be described. To determine the potential of these subjects in lipid analysis, the lipid levels of fresh and fixed frontal cortical gray matter of human donors were compared using high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Results revealed commensurate levels of specific triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, hexosyl ceramides, and hydroxy hexosyl ceramides. Baseline levels of these lipid families in human fixed tissue were identified via a broader survey study covering six brain regions: cerebellar gray matter, superior cerebellar peduncle, gray and subcortical white matter of the precentral gyrus, periventricular white matter, and internal capsule. Whole body donors may therefore serve as supplemental tissue sources for lipid analysis in a variety of clinical contexts, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body dementia, multiple sclerosis, and Gaucher's disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For non-bovine milks, information regarding bioactive lipids is fragmented, unreliable or unavailable. The purpose of the current study was to analyse bioactive lipids in the milk of dairy animals using modern analytical methods to achieve the most reliable results. Bioactive lipids in human milk were also analysed and used as a reference. A suite of modern analytical methods was employed, namely High Performance Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS), Gas Chromatography (GC) and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR). The total lipid content was determined, and phospholipid, fatty acid, neutral glycosphingolipids and ganglioside (GM3 and GD3) levels were measured. Lipid classes in selected milks were reliably characterised for the first time, including gangliosides in deer, camel and sheep; cerebrosides in deer, camel and buffalo; plasmalogens in deer, buffalo and goat and phospholipids in deer. Our study demonstrated the advantage of utilising a range of analytical techniques in order to characterise a diverse set of bioactive lipids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucosylceramide is present in many foods, such as crops and fermented foods. Most glucosylceramides are not degraded or absorbed in the small intestine and pass through the large intestine. Glucosylceramide exerts versatile effects on colon tumorigenesis, skin moisture, cholesterol metabolism and improvement of intestinal microbes in vivo. However, the mechanism of action has not yet been fully elucidated. To gain insight into the effect of glucosylceramide on intestinal microbes, glucosylceramide was anaerobically incubated with the dominant intestinal microbe, Blautia coccoides, and model intestinal microbes. The metabolites of the cultured broth supplemented with glucosylceramide were significantly different from those of broth not treated with glucosylceramide. The number of Gram-positive bacteria was significantly increased upon the addition of glucosylceramide compared to that in the control. Glucosylceramide endows intestinal microbes with tolerance to secondary bile acid. These results first demonstrated that glucosylceramide plays a role in the modification of intestinal microbes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The increase in patients suffering from type I hypersensitivity, including hay fever and food allergy, is a serious public health issue around the world. Recent studies have focused on allergy prevention by food factors with fewer side effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary glucosylceramide from pineapples (P‐GlcCer) on type I hypersensitivity and elucidate mechanisms. RESULTS: Oral administration of P‐GlcCer inhibited ear edema in passive cutaneous anaphylaxis reaction. In a Caco‐2/RBL‐2H3 co‐culture system, P‐GlcCer inhibited β‐hexosaminidase release from RBL‐2H3 cells. The direct treatment of P‐GlcCer on RBL‐2H3 did not affect β‐hexosaminidase release, but sphingoid base moiety of P‐GlcCer did. These results predicted that sphingoid base, a metabolite of P‐GlcCer, through the intestine inhibited type I hypersensitivity by inhibiting mast cell degranulation. In addition, the inhibitory effects of P‐GlcCer on ear edema and degranulation of RBL‐2H3 cells were canceled by pretreatment of leukocyte mono‐immunoglobulin‐like receptor 3 (LMIR3)‐Fc, which can block LMIR3‐mediated inhibitory signals. CONCLUSION: It was demonstrated that a sphingoid base, one of the metabolites of P‐GlcCer, may inhibit mast cell degranulation by binding to LMIR3. The oral administration of P‐GlcCer is a novel and attractive food factor that acts directly on mast cells to suppress allergy. © 2021 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent type of primary liver cancer. Low numbers of HCC patients being suitable for liver resection or transplantation and multidrug resistance development during pharmacotherapy leads to high death rates for HCC patients. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of HCC etiology may contribute to the development of novel therapeutic strategies for prevention and treatment of HCC. UDP-glucose ceramide glycosyltransferase (UGCG), a key enzyme in glycosphingolipid metabolism, generates glucosylceramide (GlcCer), which is the precursor for all glycosphingolipids (GSLs). Since UGCG gene expression is altered in 0.8% of HCC tumors, GSLs may play a role in cellular processes in liver cancer cells. Here, we discuss the current literature about GSLs and their abundance in normal liver cells, Gaucher disease and HCC. Furthermore, we review the involvement of UGCG/GlcCer in multidrug resistance development, globosides as a potential prognostic marker for HCC, gangliosides as a potential liver cancer stem cell marker, and the role of sulfatides in tumor metastasis. Only a limited number of molecular mechanisms executed by GSLs in HCC are known, which we summarize here briefly. Overall, the role GSLs play in HCC progression and their ability to serve as biomarkers or prognostic indicators for HCC, requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human brain lipidomics have elucidated structural lipids and lipid signal transduction pathways in neurologic diseases. Such studies have traditionally sourced tissue exclusively from brain bank biorepositories, however, limited inventories signal that these facilities may not be able to keep pace with this growing research domain. Formalin fixed, whole body donors willed to academic institutions offer a potential supplemental tissue source, the lipid profiles of which have yet to be described. To determine the potential of these subjects in lipid analysis, the lipid levels of fresh and fixed frontal cortical gray matter of human donors were compared using high resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Results revealed commensurate levels of specific triacylglycerols, diacylglycerols, hexosyl ceramides, and hydroxy hexosyl ceramides. Baseline levels of these lipid families in human fixed tissue were identified via a broader survey study covering six brain regions: cerebellar gray matter, superior cerebellar peduncle, gray and subcortical white matter of the precentral gyrus, periventricular white matter, and internal capsule. Whole body donors may therefore serve as supplemental tissue sources for lipid analysis in a variety of clinical contexts, including Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy body dementia, multiple sclerosis, and Gaucher’s disease.