title: Ceramide kinase: a potential anti-inflammatory target?
abstract: Ceramide 1-phosphate (C1P) possesses emerging and diversified roles in the regulation of various physiological and pathological processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis and inflammation. Data have established a proinflammatory role for C1P and have also produced information on the structure, function, substrate specificity and regulatory mechanisms of its synthesizing enzyme, ceramide kinase (CERK). This review focuses on the rationale for designing specific inhibitors of CERK and provides evidence for the potential of CERK inhibition as a promising anti-inflammatory therapy.
authors.affiliation: Ranbaxy Research Laboratories, Department of Pharmacology, New Drug Discovery Research, Plot No 20, Sector 18, Udyog Vihar Industrial Area, Gurgaon 122015, Haryana, India. shweta.saxena@ranbaxy.com
authors.forename: Shweta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saxena
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Banerjee
authors.forename: Raj K
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Shirumalla
authors.forename: Abhijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ray
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002518:Ceramides / Q000378:metabolism; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D015195:Drug Design; D007249:Inflammation / Q000201:enzymology; D010766:Phosphorylation; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor) / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D002518:Ceramides; C065576:ceramide 1-phosphate; D017853:Phosphotransferases (Alcohol Group Acceptor); C066324:ceramide kinase