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A Pipeline to Investigate the Structures and Signaling Pathways of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate Receptors
Published on: June 8, 2022
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Plasma sphingolipid abnormalities in neurodegenerative diseases
Hideki Oizumi1, Yoko Sugimura1, Tomoko Totsune1
1Department of Neurology, National Hospital Organization Sendai Nishitaga Hospital, Sendai, Japan.
Plos One
|December 16, 2022
Summary
Abnormal sphingolipid metabolism, marked by decreased sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) and increased monohexylceramide (MonCer) and lactosylceramide (LacCer), is linked to neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson's and Alzheimer's.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Metabolomics
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Lipid metabolism abnormalities are increasingly implicated in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis.
- The specific lipid alterations most critical to these diseases remain unclear.
- Plasma lipidomics offers an unbiased approach to investigate these abnormalities.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate plasma lipid profiles in various neurodegenerative diseases using lipidomics.
- To identify specific lipid biomarkers associated with neurodegeneration.
Main Methods:
- Plasma lipidomics was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).
- The study included patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (IPD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), multiple system atrophy (MSA), Alzheimer's disease (AD), and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), alongside healthy controls (CNs).
Main Results:
- Plasma sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) levels were significantly lower across all studied neurodegenerative disease groups compared to controls.
- Plasma monohexylceramide (MonCer) and lactosylceramide (LacCer) levels were significantly higher in all neurodegenerative disease groups than in controls.
- Positive correlations were observed between plasma MonCer and LacCer levels within all groups.
Conclusions:
- Decreased plasma S1P and elevated plasma MonCer and LacCer levels are novel findings in neurodegenerative diseases.
- These findings highlight the critical role of abnormal sphingolipid metabolism in the pathogenesis of neurodegeneration.
- Sphingolipids like S1P, Glucosylceramide (GlcCer), and LacCer are key players in neuronal health and disease.
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