The structural and functional role of myelin fast-migrating cerebrosides: pathological importance in multiple sclerosis.

The structural and functional role of myelin fast-migrating cerebrosides: pathological importance in multiple sclerosis. Clin Lipidol. 2011 Apr;6(2):159-179 Authors: Podbielska M, Levery SB, Hogan EL Abstract A family of neutral glycosphingolipids containing a 3-O-acetyl-sphingosine galactosylceramide (3-SAG) has been characterized. Seven new derivatives of galactosylceramide (GalCer), designated as fast-migrating cerebrosides (FMCs) by TLC retention factor, have been identified. The simplest compounds - FMC-1 and FMC-2 - of this series have been characterized as the 3-SAG containing nonhydroxy and hydroxy fatty acyl, respectively. The next two - FMC-3 and FMC-4 - add 6-O-acetyl-galactose and the most complex glycosphingolipids, FMC-5, -6 and -7, are 2,3,4,6-tetra-O-acetyl-3-SAG. These hydrophobic myelin lipid biomarkers coappear with GalCer during myelinogenesis and disappear along with GalCer in de- or dys-myelinating disorders. Myelin lipid antigens, including FMCs, are keys to myelin biology, opening the possibility of new and novel immune modulatory tools for treatment of autoimmune diseases including multiple sclerosis. PMID: 22701512 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Source: Clinical Lipidology - Category: Lipidology Tags: Clin Lipidol Source Type: research