Molecular targeting of acid ceramidase: implications to cancer therapy

Increasingly recognized as bioactive molecules, sphingolipids have been studied in a variety of disease models. The impact of sphingolipids on cancer research facilitated the entry of sphingolipid analogues and enzyme modulators into clinical trials. Owing to its ability to regulate two bioactive sphingolipids, ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate, acid ceramidase (AC) emerges as an attractive target for drug development within the sphingolipid metabolic pathway. Indeed, there is extensive evidence supporting a pivotal role for AC in lipid metabolism and cancer biology. In this article, we review the current knowledge of the biochemical properties of AC, its relevance to tumor promotion, and its molecular targeting approaches.