Application Notes:
This product is a high purity, well-defined, D-threo-dihydrosphingosine which demonstrates unique properties as compared
with the natural D-erythro isomer and is therefore ideal for use in comparison studies of dihydrosphingosine. Sphinganine
(dihydrosphingosine) is the precursor of dihydroceramide which is then desaturated to form ceramide. It is a critical
intermediate in the synthesis of many complex sphingoid bases and ceramide analogs. It has been found that sphinganine can
induce cell death in a number of types of malignant cells and is being tested for its pharmacological properties.1 While both
D-threo and L-threo-C2-dihydroceramide induced apoptosis in cells neither D-erythro nor L-erythro-C2-dihydroceramide
showed activity.2 A report has concluded that only the erythro isomers of dihydrosphingosine act as substrates for the
enzyme sphingosine kinase with both of the threo isomers inhibiting its activity.3
References:
1. W. Zheng “Fenretinide increases dihydroceramide and dihydrosphingolipids due to inhibition of dihydroceramide desaturase” Georgia Institute of Technology, 2006
2. A. Bielawska “Selectivity of Ceramide-Mediated Biology Lack of Activity of erythro-Dihydroceramide” Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 268 pp. 26226-26232, 1993
3. B. Buehrer and R. Bell “Inhibition of Sphingosine Kinase in Vitro and in Platelets Implications for Signal Transduction Pathways” Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 267 pp. 3154-3159, 1992