Toshio Ohnishi, Chieko Hashizume, Makoto Taniguchi, Hidehiro Furumoto, Jia Han, Rongfen Gao, Shinichi Kinami, Takeo Kosaka, Toshiro Okazaki
Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2) is the synthetic enzyme of sphingomyelin (SM), which regulates membrane fluidity and microdomain structure. SMS2 plays a role in LPS-induced lung injury and inflammation; however, its role in inflammation-mediated tumorigenesis is unclear. We investigated the effect of SMS2 deficiency on dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced murine colitis and found inhibition of DSS-induced inflammation in SMS2-deficient (SMS2(-/-)) mice. DSS treatment induced a significant increase in ceramide levels, with a decrease of SM levels in SMS2(-/-) colon tissue, and demonstrated attenuation of the elevation of both inflammation-related gene expression and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, leukocyte infiltration, and MAPK and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 activation...
September 2017: FASEB Journal: Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology