title: Nitric oxide, ceramide and sphingomyelinase-coupled receptors: a tale of enzymes and messengers coordinating cell death, survival and differentiation.
abstract: The gaseous messenger nitric oxide plays a role in a variety of biological functions. Evidence accumulated over the last 7 years indicates that functions of nitric oxide in apoptosis growth and differentiation may originate in part from an interplay with signalling members of the sphingolipid family. Interactions between nitric oxide and sphingolipids have been shown to be multiple, to involve regulation of activity and expression of the enzymes responsible for the synthesis of nitric oxide and of those involved in the sphingolipid metabolic pathways. Recent evidence indicates that one of these interactions, namely the cross-talk of sphingomyelinases and their product ceramide with nitric oxide and its generating enzyme endothelial nitric oxide synthase, plays prominent roles during key patho-physiological processes such as inflammation, proliferation, death and differentiation.
authors.affiliation: Dept. Pharmaco-Biology, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiana
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Perrotta
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Palma
authors.forename: Sestina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Falcone
authors.forename: Clara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sciorati
authors.forename: Emilio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Clementi
mesh_terms: D017209:Apoptosis / Q000502:physiology*; D002454:Cell Differentiation / Q000502:physiology*; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000502:physiology; D002518:Ceramides / Q000378:metabolism*; D008954:Models, Biological; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism*; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III / Q000378:metabolism; D020239:Receptor Cross-Talk / Q000502:physiology; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002518:Ceramides; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D052250:Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III; D013108:Sphingomyelin Phosphodiesterase