Ceramide synthase
Ceramide chain-length specificity
Also searched as Ceramide chain-length specificity.
Direction applies to CerS5/CerS6 only. CerS2 is protective — animals lacking it become insulin resistant. A CerS2-specific effect cannot be read from the family as a whole.
In depth
Ceramide synthase — six enzymes that decide which ceramide gets built. CerS5 and CerS6 build the sixteen-carbon species linked to cardiovascular death; CerS2 builds the long-chain ones.
What drives it
Ceramide first step increases it.
Serine palmitoyltransferase generates the sphinganine backbone that ceramide synthase subsequently N-acylates. (Study on file: 10.1016/S1388-1981(02)00335-9 · PMC12132366 · PMC6779703). doi 10.1016/S1388-1981(02 · PMC12132366
Activated fatty acids increases it.
Long-chain acyl-CoA is the obligate acyl-donor co-substrate for ceramide synthase. PMC12132366
What it drives
It increases Ceramide load.
10.1186/1743-7075-9-71 — Ceramide synthases are a family of six isoenzymes, CerS1 to CerS6, each preferring a particular fatty-acyl chain length, which is why ceramide species differ in their consequences. CerS acts in both the de novo route (N-acylating sphinganine) and the salvage route (re-acylating sphingosine). Ceramide synthases are described in the literature as attractive drug targets for metabolic disease, in contrast to SPT. Danhe granule was reported to reduce hepatic ceramide de novo synthesis related to CerS6 and CerK in rats. doi 10.1186/1743-7075-9-71
Blends that modulate it
Each blend page names this pathway and carries the study behind its claim.
See it on the map
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