Received for publication May 6, 2008.
Revised July 1, 2008.
Accepted for publication July 1, 2008.

Targeting ceramide metabolism with a potent and specific ceramide kinase inhibitor

Abstract

Ceramide kinase (CerK) produces the bioactive lipid ceramide-1-phosphate (C1P) and appears as a key enzyme for controlling ceramide levels. In this study, we discovered and characterized NVP-231, a potent, specific and reversible CerK inhibitor that competitively inhibits binding of ceramide to CerK. NVP-231 is active in the low nanomolar range on purified as well as cellular CerK, and abrogates phosphorylation of ceramide resulting in decreased endogenous C1P levels. When combined with another ceramide metabolizing inhibitor like tamoxifen, NVP-231 synergistically increased ceramide levels and reduced cell growth. Therefore, NVP-231 represents a novel and promising compound for controlling ceramide metabolism that may provide insight into CerK physiological function.

Key words: Sphingolipids, Membrane targets