Sphingosines are long-chain base precursors of cellular sphingolipids used directly in the synthesis of ceramide, which in combination with sialic acid forms ganglioside. Sphingosine can exist in four stereoisomers, however only sphingosine occurs naturally. Compared to other sphingolipids throughout the body, which are predominantly composed of C-18 sphingosine, only central nervous system (CNS) gangliosides contain significant amounts of sphingosine. The concentration of sphingosine within mammalian brain gangliosides apparently increases with developmental maturation. Furthermore, the ratio of C-18 to C-20 sphingosine in the brain is thought to be related to some nervous system degeneration processes.
Sphingosine (d14:1) is a bioactive sphingolipid that has been found in B. mori (silkworm), P. clarkii (crayfish), and A. aurita (jellyfish) extracts. It increases the germination rate of N. rileyi, an entomopathogenic fungus, with an EC50 value of 10.2 nM. Sphingosine (d14:1) inhibits protein kinase C (PKC) in vitro (IC50 = 7.3 mol%) as well as superoxide generation induced by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in neutrophils and reduces growth of CHO cells (IC50s = 19 and 8 μM, respectively).
Sphingosine (d18:1), an amino alcohol, is chiefly recognized for its 18-carbon unsaturated hydrocarbon chain. Nevertheless, in mammalian tissues, both sphingosine and its variant, dihydrosphingosine, feature hydrocarbon chains ranging from 12 to 26 carbons. Sphingosine (d15:1) represents a naturally rare variant, serving as an internal standard for chromatographic or spectrometric analyses of sphingoid compounds.
Sphingosine (d16:1), an unconventional sphingolipid, is synthesized through enzymatic reactions starting with the condensation of myristoyl-CoA and serine by serine palmitoyltransferase long-chain base subunit 3 (SPTLC3), which shows a preference for myristoyl-CoA. This compound is found in minute quantities in its free form in human plasma and as a component of various plasma sphingolipids, such as sphingosine-1-phosphate, ceramides, sphingomyelins, and in brain cerebrosides, albeit at lower concentrations than the more common d18:1 sphingoid base. Sphingosine (d16:1) acts as an inhibitor of PKC in mixed micelle assays and diminishes superoxide production triggered by phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate in isolated human neutrophils, as well as inhibiting the growth of CHO cells with IC50 values of 1 and 3.2 µM, respectively. Additionally, the concentration of sphingolipids containing sphingosine (d16:1) in the plasma is linked to the dietary consumption of saturated fatty acids and protein among ethnic Chinese populations.
C16 Sphingosine-1-phosphate (C16 S1P) is a derivative of sphingosine-1-phosphate that binds to S1P1/EDG-1, S1P3/EDG-3, and S1P2/EDG-5 receptors with affinities of 115%, 83%, and 103%, respectively, relative to S1P in CHO cells. C16 S1P was increased in postmortem primary open angle glaucoma trabecular meshwork samples.