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Published on: February 21, 2019
Renal sulfatides: sphingoid base-dependent localization and region-specific compensation of CerS2-dysfunction
Christian Marsching1, Mariona Rabionet2, Daniel Mathow3
1Center for Applied Research "Applied Biomedical Mass Spectrometry" (ABIMAS), Mannheim, Germany Lipid Pathobiochemistry Group within Department of Cellular and Molecular Pathology German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Heidelberg, Germany Institute of Medical Technology, University of Heidelberg and Mannheim University of Applied Sciences, Mannheim, Germany.
Kidney sulfatides exhibit diverse structures, with specific types found in distinct regions. CerS2 deficiency impacts sulfatide composition but does not alter urinary pH, suggesting compensatory mechanisms.
Area of Science:
- Lipidomics
- Renal Physiology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Mammalian kidneys contain abundant sulfatides, crucial for adapting to metabolic acidosis.
- Renal sulfatides display significant structural diversity due to variations in ceramide anchors.
- The functional implications of this structural complexity remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the distribution and structural diversity of renal sulfatides in mice.
- To analyze the impact of Ceramide Synthase 2 (CerS2) deficiency on sulfatide profiles.
- To correlate lipid composition with regional gene expression of synthesizing enzymes.
Main Methods:
- Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) for spatial lipid distribution.
- Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS(2)) for detailed lipid analysis.
- Analysis of kidney cortex, medulla, and papillae in control and CerS2-deficient mice.
- Comparison of lipid data with regional mRNA levels of anabolic enzymes.
Main Results:
- Distinct sulfatide populations were identified: C20-sphingosine in papillae, C18-sphingosine in medulla, and C18-phytosphingosine in cortical structures.
- CerS2 deficiency led to a significant reduction in sulfatides with C23/C24-acyl chains.
- Despite sulfatide loss, CerS2-deficient kidneys maintained normal urinary pH, potentially due to compensatory increases in other sulfatide species (e.g., C22, C16-C20).
- Phytosphingosine-containing cortical sulfatides were completely absent in CerS2-deficient kidneys without compensatory mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Renal sulfatides exhibit precise regional localization and structural specialization.
- CerS2 plays a critical role in synthesizing specific sulfatide structures, particularly those with long acyl chains and phytosphingosine.
- The kidney compensates for the loss of certain sulfatide populations, maintaining overall renal function, but specific regional deficits (cortical phytosphingosine) occur without compensation.
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