Biological role of ceramide structure of glycosphingolipids in the small intestinal epithelial cells

2015 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 24590285
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: General physiology
• Research Institution: Kawasaki Medical School (2013-2015); Tokai University (2012)
• Principal Investigator: Matsuda Junko 川崎医科大学, 医学部, 教授 (60363149)
• Project Period (FY): 2012-04-01 – 2016-03-31
• Keywords: スフィンゴ糖脂質 / セラミド骨格 / 構造多様性 / 小腸上皮細胞 / 脂肪酸水酸化酵素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are components of eukaryotic cell membranes. Thousands of different GSLs have been reported due to the structural diversity of their head-group sugar chain and backbone sphingosine base and fatty acid. In the mammalian small intestinal epithelial cells,phytoglycosphingolipids with an additional hydroxyl group at sphinganine C-4.and fatty acid C-2 (t18:0/ hFA)expressed abundantly.In this study,we tried to identify the second enzyme that can produce 2-hydroxy fatty acid in the the small intestinal epithelial cells.In the wild-type mice, the mRNA level of only known fatty acid C-2-hydroxylase (Fa2h) was almost undetectable in the small intestine.In the FA2H deficient mice,2-hydroxy fatty acid containing GSLs were detected in the equal level of wild-type mice.These findings indicate that the second enzyme that can produce 2-hydroxy fatty acid should exist in the small intestinal epithelial cells.

Free Research Field

脂質生物学