EC number 3.5.1.23 ExPASy NiceZyme view | CAS number 37289-06-8 | |
Ceramidase (EC 3.5.1.23, acylsphingosine deacylase, glycosphingolipid ceramide deacylase) is an enzyme which cleaves fatty acids from ceramide, producing sphingosine (SPH) which in turn is phosphorylated by a sphingosine kinase to form sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P).
Contents
Function
Ceramide, SPH, and S1P are bioactive lipids that mediate cell proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, adhesion, and migration. Presently, 7 human ceramidases encoded by 7 distinct genes have been cloned:
Clinical significance
A deficiency in ASAH1 is associated with Farber disease.
UT Southwestern researchers showed that introducing ceramidase in diabetic mice returned their insulin sensitivity to normal. Dr. Philipp Scherer, Director of the Touchstone Center for Diabetes Research at UT Southwestern. "Our findings suggest a new means to potentially treat Type 2 diabetes and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease." The findings are outlined in the journal Cell Metabolism.