Sphingolipid metabolism in organotypic mouse keratinocyte cultures

Journal Article · Fri Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Investigative Dermatology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1111/1523-1747.ep12514333· OSTI ID:6274922

Madison, K C; Swartzendruber, D C; Wertz, P W; Downing, D T ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Iowa College of Medicine, Iowa City (USA)

Ceramides are the dominant component of the stratum corneum intercellular lipid lamellae, which constitute the epidermal permeability barrier. Only pig and human epidermal ceramides have been extensively characterized and the structures of the ceramides of cultured keratinocytes have not been previously investigated. In the present studies, we have characterized the ceramides synthesized by organotypic lifted mouse keratinocyte cultures for the first time and compared them to the ceramides of intact mouse epidermis. Both mouse epidermis and cultures contained five ceramides, ceramide 1 being the least polar and ceramide 5 the most polar. Ceramide 1 was a group of acylceramides, i.e., very-long-chain omega-hydroxyceramides with an ester-linked nonhydroxy fatty acid. Ceramide 2 contained medium-length saturated nonhydroxy fatty acids. (In culture, the ceramide 2 band was split into two parts with the slightly more polar ceramide 2' containing short-chain saturated nonhydroxy fatty acids.) Ceramide 5 contained short-chain alpha-hydroxy fatty acids. The structures of ceramides 1, 2, and 5 were analagous to those of pig and human epidermis. Mouse epidermal ceramide 3 was quite unusual, containing beta-hydroxy fatty acids, a structure not previously identified among mammalian ceramides. In contrast, culture ceramide 3 was composed of omega-hydroxy fatty acids with a chain-length distribution similar to that of ceramide 1. Mouse ceramide 4 was composed of fatty acids with chromatographic mobility similar to hydroxy fatty acids but with different chemical reactivity; it remains only partially characterized. Culture ceramide 4 was present in quantities too small for analysis. All ceramides in mouse epidermis and cultures contained only sphingosine bases, whereas pig and human ceramides also contain phytosphingosine.

• OSTI ID: 6274922
• Journal Information: Journal of Investigative Dermatology; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Investigative Dermatology; (USA) Vol. 95:6; ISSN 0022-202X; ISSN JIDEA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550501* -- Metabolism-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMAL CELLS
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
AUTORADIOGRAPHY
BODY
CARBON ISOTOPES
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CELL CONSTITUENTS
CELL CULTURES
CELL MEMBRANES
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
EPIDERMIS
EPITHELIUM
HYDROXY ACIDS
ISOTOPES
LIPIDS
MAMMALS
MAN
MEMBRANES
METABOLISM
MOLECULAR STRUCTURE
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PERMEABILITY
PRIMATES
SERINE
SKIN
SWINE
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES