Application Notes:
This product is a fluorescent ceramide with an absorption of 467nm and an emission of 439nm. NBD has been shown to have
only a small influence on lipid adsorption into cells and cellular membranes especially when the fatty acid is a short chain.
This fluorescent analog of natural ceramide is comparable to C6:0-ceramide in many biological functions such as inhibition
of VSV-G protein transport1, and transport of sphingomyelin and glucocerebroside from the golgi apparatus to the cell
surface.2 Ceramide functions as a precursor in the synthesis of sphingomyelin, glycosphingolipids, and of free sphingosine
and fatty acids. The sphingosine can be phosphorylated to form sphingosine-1-phosphate. Two of ceramide’s metabolites,
sphingosine-1-phosphate and glucosylceramide, produce cell proliferation and other cellular functions.3 Ceramide exerts
numerous biological effects, including induction of cell maturation, cell cycle arrest, terminal cell differentiation, cell
senescence, and cell death.4 Because of these effects ceramide has been investigated for its use in cancer treatment and many
potential approaches to cancer therapy have been presented. Other effects include producing reactive oxygen in mitochondria
(followed by apoptosis) and stimulating phosphorylation of certain proteins (especially mitogen activated protein). It also
stimulates some protein phosphatases (especially protein phosphatase 2A) making it an important controller of protein
activity. Ceramides with short side chains have been shown to enter easily into cells where they are biologically active.
Ceramides with longer side chains also enter cells if dissolved in dodecane-isopropanol first.
References:
1. A. Rosenwald and
R. Pagano “Inhibition of glycoprotein traffic through the secretory pathway by ceramide” Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 268
pp. 4577-4579, 1993
2. N. Lipsky, R. Pagano “Intracellular translocation of fluorescent sphingolipids in cultured fibroblasts: Endogenously synthesized sphingomyelin and
glucocerebroside analogues pass through the golgi apparatus en route to the plasma membrane” Journal of Cell Biology, Vol. 100 pp. 27-34, 1985
3. J. Hauser, B. M. Buehrer, and R. M. Bell “Role of ceramide in mitogenesis induced by exogenous sphingoid bases.” Journal of Biological Chemistry
Vol. 269 pp. 6803, 1994
4. N. Radin, “Killing tumours by ceramide-induced apoptosis: a critique of available drugs” Biochemical Journal, Vol. 371 pp. 243-256, 2003