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Ceramide kinase deficiency improves diet‐induced obesity and insulin resistance
Author(s) -
Mitsutake Susumu,
Date Tomomi,
Yokota Hazuki,
Sugiura Masako,
Kohama Takafumi,
Igarashi Yasuyuki
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
febs letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.593
H-Index - 257
eISSN - 1873-3468
pISSN - 0014-5793
DOI - 10.1016/j.febslet.2012.03.032
Subject(s) - ceramide , endocrinology , inflammation , medicine , insulin resistance , adipose tissue , chemistry , lipid signaling , biology , diabetes mellitus , biochemistry , apoptosis
Ceramide kinase (CERK) is an enzyme that phosphorylates ceramide to produce ceramide 1‐phosphate. Recently, evidence has emerged that CERK has a role in inflammatory signaling of immune cells. Since obesity is accompanied by chronic, low‐grade inflammation, we examined whether CERK might be involved using CERK‐null mice. We determined that CERK deficiency suppresses diet‐induced increases in body weight, and improves glucose intolerance. Furthermore, we demonstrated that CERK deficiency attenuates MCP‐1/CCR2 signaling in macrophages infiltrating the adipose tissue, resulting in the suppression of inflammation in adipocytes, which might otherwise lead to obesity and diabetes.