Structure-dependent absorption of atypical sphingoid long-chain bases from digestive tract into lymph.

BACKGROUND: Dietary sphingolipids have various biofunctions, including skin barrier improvement and anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinoma properties. Long-chain bases (LCBs), the essential backbones of sphingolipids, are expected to be important for these bioactivities, and they vary structurally between species. Given these findings, however, the absorption dynamics of each LCB remain unclear. METHODS: In this study, five structurally different LCBs were prepared from glucosylceramides (GlcCers) with LCB 18:2(4E,8Z);2OH and LCB 18:2(4E,8E);2OH moieties derived from konjac tuber (Amorphophallus konjac), from GlcCers with an LCB 18(9Me):2(4E,8E);2OH moiety derived from Tamogi mushroom (Pleurotus cornucopiae var. citrinopileatus), and from ceramide 2-aminoethyphosphonate with LCB 18:3(4E,8E,10E);2OH moiety and LCB 18(9Me):3(4E,8E,10E);2OH moiety derived from giant scallop (Mizuhopecten yessoensis), and their absorption percentages and metabolite levels were analyzed using a lymph-duct-cannulated rat model via liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) with a multistage fragmentation method. RESULTS: The five orally administered LCBs were absorbed and detected in chyle (lipid-containing lymph) as LCBs and several metabolites including ceramides, hexosylceramides, and sphingomyelins. The absorption percentages of LCBs were 0.10-1.17%, depending on their structure. The absorption percentage of LCB 18:2(4E,8Z);2OH was the highest (1.17%), whereas that of LCB 18:3(4E,8E,10E);2OH was the lowest (0.10%). The amount of sphingomyelin with an LCB 18:2(4E,8Z);2OH moiety in chyle was particularly higher than sphingomyelins with other LCB moieties. CONCLUSIONS: Structural differences among LCBs, particularly geometric isomerism at the C8-C9 position, significantly affected the absorption percentages and ratio of metabolites. This is the first report to elucidate that the absorption and metabolism of sphingolipids are dependent on their LCB structure. These results could be used to develop functional foods that are more readily absorbed.

Plant sphingolipids promote extracellular vesicle release and alleviate amyloid-ß pathologies in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease.

The accumulation of amyloid-ß protein (Aß) in brain is linked to the early pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). We previously reported that neuron-derived exosomes promote Aß clearance in the brains of amyloid precursor protein transgenic mice and that exosome production is modulated by ceramide metabolism. Here, we demonstrate that plant ceramides derived from Amorphophallus konjac, as well as animal-derived ceramides, enhanced production of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in neuronal cultures. Oral administration of plant glucosylceramide (GlcCer) to APP overexpressing mice markedly reduced Aß levels and plaque burdens and improved cognition in a Y-maze learning task. Moreover, there were substantial increases in the neuronal marker NCAM-1, L1CAM, and Aß in EVs isolated from serum and brain tissues of the GlcCer-treated AD model mice. Our data showing that plant ceramides prevent Aß accumulation by promoting EVs-dependent Aß clearance in vitro and in vivo provide evidence for a protective role of plant ceramides in AD. Plant ceramides might thus be used as functional food materials to ameliorate AD pathology.

Inhibition of algal bromophenols and their related phenols against glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase.

A novel bromophenol, n-butyl 2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl ether, and known bromophenols were isolated from Rhodomelaceae algae as glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) inhibitors. Among them, bromophenol dimers showed stronger inhibitory activity against Leuconostoc mesenteroides and Saccharomyces cerevisiae G6PDs than the corresponding monomers. The dibenzyl ether-type dimers had lower IC50 values than the diarylmethane-type dimers against L. mesenteroides G6PD among the bromophenols examined. In contrast, the inhibitory activities of diarylmethane-type dimers against S. cerevisiae G6PD were stronger than those of dibenzyl ether-type dimers. Especially, 3-bromo-2-(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl)-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl methyl ether selectively inhibited S. cerevisiae G6PD compared to L. mesenteroides G6PD.