Altered Levels of Serum Ceramide, Sphingosine and Sphingomyelin Are Associated with Colorectal Cancer: A Retrospective Pilot Study.
Because patients with cancer of apparently equivalent stage often have different outcomes, it is necessary to gather additional information to complement cancer staging. Dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism contributes to carcinogenesis. In this retrospective pilot study, we tested the hypothesis that changes in serum levels of sphingolipids are associated with stage IV colorectal cancer (CRC).



We used commercially available serum samples from healthy males and patients with CRC (adenocarcinoma of the large intestine, stage IV with metastases). Blood samples were obtained immediately prior to anesthesia/surgery. We measured sphingolipid levels in sera using mass spectrometry.



In serum of patients with CRC, the levels of C16-, C18-, C18:1-, and C24:1-ceramide, as well as those of sphingosine, were significantly higher than those of controls. In contrast, the levels of C24-sphingomyelin were significantly lower than those of controls. A global test of association showed that ceramides and sphingomyelins but not hexosylceramides were significantly associated with stage IV CRC.



Sphingolipids have a potential of serving as novel, non-invasive, inexpensive, and effective blood-based biomarkers to complement CRC staging for better prognosis and more personalized medicine.
Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A. jmjilyss999@gmail.com.|Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
Duska
D
Separovic
Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.|Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
Anthony F
AF
Shields
Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.|Department of Oncology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
Philip A
PA
Philip
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, U.S.A.
Jacek
J
Bielawski
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, U.S.A.
Alicja
A
Bielawska
Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, U.S.A.
Jason S
JS
Pierce
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, School of Medicine, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.|Department of Computer Science, College of Engineering, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
Adi L
AL
Tarca
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000097:blood; D002518:Ceramides / Q000097:blood*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000097:blood*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D006801:Humans; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013109:Sphingomyelins / Q000097:blood*; D013110:Sphingosine / Q000097:blood*
D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D002518:Ceramides; D013109:Sphingomyelins; D013110:Sphingosine
Biomarkers; ceramide; colorectal cancer; serum; sphingolipids