Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Metabolism and Its Role in the Development of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

• Main Authors: Tomasz Wollny, Marzena Wątek, Bonita Durnaś, Katarzyna Niemirowicz, Ewelina Piktel, Małgorzata Żendzian-Piotrowska, Stanisław Góźdź, Robert Bucki
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2017-03-01
• Series: International Journal of Molecular Sciences
• Subjects: inflammatory bowel disease; sphingosine-1-phosphate; cancer
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/1422-0067/18/4/741

Beyond their role as structural molecules, sphingolipids are involved in many important cellular processes including cell proliferation, apoptosis, inflammation, and migration. Altered sphingolipid metabolism is observed in many pathological conditions including gastrointestinal diseases. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) represents a state of complex, unpredictable, and destructive inflammation of unknown origin within the gastrointestinal tract. The mechanisms explaining the pathophysiology of IBD involve signal transduction pathways regulating gastro-intestinal system’s immunity. Progressive intestinal tissue destruction observed in chronic inflammation may be associated with an increased risk of colon cancer. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a sphingolipid metabolite, functions as a cofactor in inflammatory signaling and becomes a target in the treatment of IBD, which might prevent its conversion to cancer. This paper summarizes new findings indicating the impact of (S1P) on IBD development and IBD-associated carcinogenesis.