C18 dihydro Ceramide (d18:0/18:0) is a bioactive sphingolipid and precursor in the de novo synthesis of C18 ceramide that lacks the 4,5-trans double bond[1]. Upon desaturase catalysis, C18 dihydro Ceramide (d18:0/18:0) is converted into mature C18 ceramide (Cer; N-stearoyl-sphingosine (d18:1/18:0)), which functions as a key signaling molecule regulating apoptosis, autophagy, and insulin resistance[2][3][4]. C18 dihydro Ceramide (d18:0/18:0) is abnormally elevated in NAFLD, plasma from pre-diabetic patients, and skin from atopic dermatitis patients and has the potential to serve as an early disease biomarker and therapeutic target[5][6][7].
References:
[1] Mikami T, Kashiwagi M, Tsuchihashi K, Akino T, Gasa S. Substrate specificity and some other enzymatic properties of dihydroceramide desaturase (ceramide synthase) in fetal rat skin. J Biochem. 1998;123(5):906-911.
[2] Oleinik NV, Atilgan FC, Kassir MF, et al. Ceramide-Induced Metabolic Stress Depletes Fumarate and Drives Mitophagy to Mediate Tumor Suppression. Cancer Res. 2025;85(17):3313-3334.
[3] Oleinik N, Albayram O, Kassir MF, et al. Alterations of lipid-mediated mitophagy result in aging-dependent sensorimotor defects. Aging Cell. 2023;22(10):e13954.
[4] Koch A, Grammatikos G, Trautmann S, et al. Vitamin D Supplementation Enhances C18(dihydro)ceramide Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Patients. Int J Mol Sci. 2017;18(7):1532.
[5] Lee AY, Lee JW, Kim JE, et al. Dihydroceramide is a key metabolite that regulates autophagy and promotes fibrosis in hepatic steatosis model. Biochem Biophys Res Commun. 2017;494(3-4):460-469.
[6] Wigger L, Cruciani-Guglielmacci C, Nicolas A, et al. Plasma Dihydroceramides Are Diabetes Susceptibility Biomarker Candidates in Mice and Humans. Cell Rep. 2017;18(9):2269-2279.
[7] Joo KM, Hwang JH, Bae S, et al. Relationship of ceramide-, and free fatty acid-cholesterol ratios in the stratum corneum with skin barrier function of normal, atopic dermatitis lesional and non-lesional skins. J Dermatol Sci. 2015;77(1):71-74.
C18 dihydro Ceramide (d18:0/18:0)是一种生物活性鞘脂，也是缺乏4,5-反式双键的C18 ceramide从头合成的前体[1]。在去饱和酶催化下，C18 dihydro Ceramide (d18:0/18:0)转化为成熟的C18 ceramide（Cer；N-硬脂酰鞘氨醇（d18:1/18:0）），其作为关键信号分子，调控细胞凋亡、自噬和胰岛素抵抗[2][3][4]。C18 dihydro Ceramide (d18:0/18:0)在非酒精性脂肪肝病（NAFLD）、糖尿病前期患者血浆以及特应性皮炎患者皮肤中异常升高，具有作为早期疾病生物标志物和治疗靶点的潜力[5][6][7]。