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Sphingolipid signalling and liver diseases
Author(s) -
Marí Montserrat,
FernándezCheca José C.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
liver international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.873
H-Index - 110
eISSN - 1478-3231
pISSN - 1478-3223
DOI - 10.1111/j.1478-3231.2007.01475.x
Subject(s) - sphingolipid , ceramide , steatohepatitis , microbiology and biotechnology , biology , programmed cell death , liver cell , liver injury , cell , cell growth , cancer research , signal transduction , fatty liver , apoptosis , medicine , biochemistry , pathology , endocrinology , disease
Sphingolipids (SLs) comprise a class of lipids with important structural functions and increasing relevance in cellular signalling. In particular, ceramide has attracted considerable attention owing to its role as a second messenger modulating several cell functions such as proliferation, gene expression, differentiation, cell cycle arrest and cell death. Increasing evidence documents the role of SLs in stress and death ligand‐induced hepatocellular death, which contributes to the progression of several liver diseases including steatohepatitis, ischaemia‐reperfusion liver injury or hepatocarcinogenesis. Furthermore, recent data indicate that the accumulation of SLs in specific cell subcompartments, characteristic of many sphingolipidoses, contributes to the hepatic dysfunctions that accompany these inherited diseases. Hence, the regulation of the cell biology and metabolism of SLs may open up a novel therapeutic avenue in the treatment of liver diseases.