Ceramide Phosphoethanolamine (bovine) (Synonyms: N-Acyl Ceramide Phosphoethanolamine (d18:1/acyl mixture), CPE, N-acyl-D-erythro-Sphingosylphosphorylethanolamine)

Ceramide phosphoethanolamine (CPE) is an analog of sphingomyelin that contains ethanolamine rather than choline as the head group. It is the principal membrane phospholipid in invertebrates such as Drosophila, which lacks sphingomyelin.¹ It is only produced in small amounts in mammalian cells, accounting for approximately 0.02 mol% of total phospholipids in mouse testis and brain.² In Drosophila, CPE is biosynthesized by CPE synthase from ceramide and cytidine diphosphate-ethanolamine in the Golgi lumen. In mammals, it is biosynthesized by sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2) in the plasma membrane and by sphingomyelin synthase-related protein (SMSr) in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER).¹ In Drosophila, CPE has a role in glial ensheathment of axons.³ Disrupting CPE synthesis by depleting SMSr in vitro in mammalian cells leads to an accumulation of ER ceramides, which are then mislocalized to the mitochondria, inducing apoptosis.⁴ However, ceramide levels are not altered in transgenic mice lacking SMSr catalytic activity.² This product contains ceramide phosphoethanolamine molecular species with primarily C23:0, C24:0, and C21:0 fatty acyl chains. As this product is derived from a natural source, there may be variations in the sphingoid backbone. [Matreya, LLC. Catalog No. 1327]

1.Vacaru, A.M., van den Dikkenberg, J., Ternes, P., et al.Ceramide phosphoethanolamine biosynthesis in Drosophila is mediated by a unique ethanolamine phosphotransferase in the Golgi lumenJ. Biol. Chem.288(16)11520-11530(2013) 2.Bickert, A., Ginkel, C., Kol, M., et al.Functional characterization of enzymes catalyzing ceramide phosphoethanolamine biosynthesis in miceJ. Lipid Res.56(4)821-835(2015) 3.Ghosh, A., Kling, T., Snaidero, N., et al.A global in vivo Drosophila RNAi screen identifies a key role of ceramide phosphoethanolamine for glial ensheathment of axonsPLos Genet.9(12)e1003980(2013) 4.Tafesse, F.G., Vacaru, A.M., Bosma, E.F., et al.Sphingomyelin synthase-related protein SMSr is a suppressor of ceramide-induced mitochondrial apoptosisJ. Cell Sci.127(Pt 2)445-454(2014)