Application Notes:
This product is a high purity, non-natural D-threo ceramide that is ideal as a standard and for biological studies. D-erythro
Ceramide is the natural ceramide isomer and is involved in many biological processes including induction of cell maturation,
cell cycle arrest, terminal cell differentiation, cell senescence, and cell death.1 Both the natural D-erythro and the non-natural
L-erythro and the D- and L-threo ceramides display similar effectiveness in inducing apoptotic damage in cells.2 The protein
phosphatases PP1 and PP2A, which are involved in regulating apoptosis and cell growth, are activated by D-erythro
ceramide but inhibited by D-threo ceramide and the other two non-natural ceramide stereoisomers.3 Both D-erythro and Dthreo
C2 ceramides have been found to be potent inducers of IL-6 production, while neither of the L- isomers of ceramide
were effective.4 D- and L-erythro ceramide and D- and L-threo ceramide are also comparably effective inhibitors of protein
kinase C.5
References:
1. 2. N. S. Radin, “Killing tumours by ceramide-induced apoptosis: a critique of available drugs” Biochemical Journal, Vol. 371 pp. 243-256, 2003
2. W. Jarvis et al. “Induction of Apoptosis and Potentiation of Ceramide-mediated Cytotoxicity by Sphingoid Bases in Human Myeloid Leukemia Cells” The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 271 pp. 8275-8284, 1996
3. C. Chalfant et al. “Long Chain Ceramides Activate Protein Phosphatase-1 and Protein Phosphatase-2A Activation is Stereospecific and Regulated by Phosphatidic Acid” The Journal of Biological Chemistry, Vol. 274 pp. 20313-20317, 1999
4. S. Laulederkind et al. “Ceramide Induces Interleukin 6 Gene Expression in Human Fibroblasts” The Journal of Experimental Medicine, Vol. 182 pp. 599-604, 1995
5. T. Ariga et al. “Role of sphingolipid-mediated cell death in neurodegenerative diseases” Journal of Lipid Research, Vol. 39 pp. 1-16, 1998