Involvement of the ceramide signaling pathway in modulating the differentiated state of porcine thyroid cells.

Neutral sphingomyelinase (Smase) is a cell membrane-associated phospholipase that hydrolyzes sphingomyelin to phosphocholine and ceramide, a lipid second messenger involved in cell differentiation and/or apoptosis. We first evidenced that porcine cultured thyroid cells could express neutral Smase activity even if thyrotropin (TStH), an essential hormone in thyroid cell differentiation, was found to induce a 1.7-fold decrease in Smase activity. Triggering the ceramide pathway by exogenous addition of neutral bacterial Smase (0.1 U/mL for 48 h), which transiently increased ceramide level by fourfold, drastically modified thyroid cell morphology. The follicle-like structures generated by TSH were disrupted, and the Smase-induced cell spreading was accompanied by a parallel loss of cell ability to iodinate proteins as well as a decrease of the adenylate cyclase system response. These inhibitory effects have been reproduced using short-chain exogenous ceramide analogs (C2-ceramides). Overall these data showed that ceramides emerged as potential mediators of dedifferentiation in thyroid cells.

Relationship between cell-associated matrix metalloproteinase 9 and psoriatic keratinocyte growth.

Primary cultures of psoriatic keratinocytes proliferated at a higher rate and produced lower amounts of matrix metalloproteinase 9 than normal keratinocytes cultured under similar conditions. Sup- plementation of psoriatic keratinocyte cell culture medium with batimastat or the use of a matrix metalloproteinase 9 blocking antibody further stimulated psoriatic keratinocyte growth. An increase in intracellular ceramide level enhanced matrix metalloproteinase 9 production and inhibited cell proliferation in parallel. Whether cells were treated with sphingomyelinase or not, however, conditioned media from psoriatic keratinocytes contained higher levels of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 compared with matrix metalloproteinase 9 and secreted only the proenzyme form. Pro-matrix metalloproteinase 9, as well as active matrix metalloproteinase 9, was identified in membrane preparations of psoriatic keratinocytes, and enzyme amounts were greatly elevated following sphingomyelinase action. As (i) tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 antibody nearly totally abrogated keratinocyte growth and (ii) complexes of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 and matrix metalloproteinase 9 were recovered in membrane extracts of sphingomyelinase-treated psoriatic keratinocytes, we postulate that an increased level of cell-associated matrix metalloproteinase 9 might compete for tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-1 binding to its receptor. As a consequence, the increased levels of matrix metalloproteinase 9 will decrease keratinocyte growth.

Involvement of the 92-kDa gelatinase (matrix metalloproteinase-9) in the ceramide-mediated inhibition of human keratinocyte growth.

Triggering the ceramide pathway by exogenous treatment with neutral sphingomyelinase (Smase) inhibited human keratinocyte growth rate, while having no influence on cell apoptosis. Increasing the ceramide content of keratinocytes with Smase (100 U/ml) or C6-ceramide (1 microM) enhanced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 production. On the contrary, levels of MMP-2 secretion were unchanged. The inhibition of keratinocyte growth rate induced by ceramide could be annihilated by a peptide hydroxamate MMP inhibitor or an MMP-9 blocking antibody. In addition, inhibiting MMP-9 activity in control keratinocyte culture was found to stimulate keratinocyte proliferation. These data suggest a pivotal function of MMP-9 in the control of keratinocyte growth.