title: The role of sphingosine and its derivatives in the regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis.
abstract: The role of sphingosine and sphingosine 1-phosphate in the regulation of Ca2+ homeostasis is reviewed. Available data suggest that there are at least three main pathways by which sphingosine and its metabolites affect Ca2+ fluxes in different cell types: (1) indirect action on Ca2+ stores, mediated by other transduction pathways; (2) direct action on the receptors of Ca2+ channels and Ca2+ pumps which are localized at the membranes of Ca2+ stores; (3) indirect action mediated by the regulation of expression of the channel-forming protein Bcl-2, which incorporates into membranes of Ca2+ stores. The effects of sphingosine and its metabolites on Ca2+ homeostasis via mechanisms (1)-(3) are considered. The combination of the mechanisms by which sphingosine affects Ca2+-signalling pathways is tissue-specific. Sphingosine and its metabolites can be physiological modulators of the intracellular Ca2+ signalling pathways.
authors.affiliation: Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow. olgavek@yandex.ru
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vekshina
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism*; D015220:Calcium Channels / Q000378:metabolism; D020013:Calcium Signaling / Q000502:physiology*; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000378:metabolism; D006706:Homeostasis / Q000502:physiology*; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000378:metabolism; D008954:Models, Biological; D015394:Molecular Structure; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D015220:Calcium Channels; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D013110:Sphingosine; D002118:Calcium