Application Notes:
This product is a fluorescent L-threo-ceramide. The NBD fluorescent group has been shown to have only a small influence
on lipid adsorption into cells and cellular membranes and this fluorescent analog of L-threo-ceramide is comparable to
C12:0-L-threo-ceramide in many biological functions such as lipid uptake and transport1, structural determinants, and lipid
partitioning2. L-threo-ceramide is a non-natural isomer of ceramide. The natural D-erythro isomer is a critical compound in
cells both as a free ceramide and incorporated into more complex sphingolipids. L-threo-ceramides demonstrate a different
metabolic functionality from natural ceramides. They have been shown to be metabolized to sphingomyelin but not to
glucosylceramide. Another non-natural stereoisomer, L-erythro ceramide, is not metabolized to any sphingolipid. In
contrast to natural ceramides L-threo ceramides are unable to antagonize the disruptive effects of fumonisin B1 on axon
growth but it is able to activate intracellular pathways and induces apoptosis.3 The deacylated form of ceramide, sphingosine,
also has many critical cellular functions. L-threo-sphingosine, along with other sphingosine isomers, has been found to be an
activator of 3-Phosphoinositide-dependent kinase-14 and inhibits protein kinase C a little more potently than D-erythrosphingosine.
References:
1. D. Moffat and J. Kusel “Fluorescent lipid uptake and transport in adult Schistosoma mansoni” Parasitology, Vol. 105(1) pp. 81-89, 1992
2. P. Sengupta et al. “Structural determinants for partitioning of lipids and proteins between coexisting fluid phases in giant plasma membrane vesicles” Biochimica et Biophysica Acta, Vol. 1778(1) pp. 20-32, 2008
3. A. Bielawska et al. “Selectivity of ceramide-mediated biology—lack of activity of erythrodihydroceramide” J Biol Chem, vol. 268 pp. 26226 –26232, 1993
4. C. King et al. “Sphingosine Is a Novel Activator of 3-Phosphoinositide-dependent Kinase 1” The Journal of Biological Chemistry, vol. 275(24) pp. 18108-18113, 2000