title: Distribution of sphingosine kinase activity in mouse tissues: contribution of SPHK1.
abstract: Sphingosine kinase (SPHK) phosphorylates sphingosine to form a bioactive lipid mediator, sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P). S1P mediates such diverse biological processes as regulation of cell differentiation, motility, and apoptosis both extracellularly, via S1P (Edg) family receptors, and intracellularly, through unidentified targets. In cells S1P is short-lived, so the synthetic process catalyzed by sphingosine kinase may be important in maintaining the cellular levels of the compound. Thus far, two sphingosine kinases have been reported, with SPHK1 exhibiting the higher activity. However, several studies suggest the existence of unidentified sphingosine kinases. Therefore, to further elucidate the role of SPHK1 in the formation of S1P, we investigated its contribution to the total sphingosine kinase activity in mouse tissues. We found that SPHK1 is a major sphingosine kinase in many tissues, especially in brain, heart, and colon. However, some tissues such as spleen, small intestine, and lung contained sphingosine kinase activity that was not attributable to SPHK1 or SPHK2, as determined by immunodepletion assays. Furthermore, the presence of other sphingosine kinases with different properties, i.e., higher activity toward phytosphingosine and a different subcellular distribution, is suggested.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomembrane and Biofunctional Chemistry, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fukuda
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kihara
authors.forename: Yasuyuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Igarashi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000201:enzymology / Q000378:metabolism; D016466:CHO Cells; D002384:Catalysis; D002454:Cell Differentiation; D002465:Cell Movement; D006224:Cricetinae; D015151:Immunoblotting; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D011233:Precipitin Tests; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D013347:Subcellular Fractions / Q000378:metabolism; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D000099157:Sphingosine Kinase
chemical_list: D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); D013110:Sphingosine; D000099157:Sphingosine Kinase; C012491:phytosphingosine