Enzymatic Modification of Sphingomyelin

Sphingomyelin (SM) is a ubiquitous component of animal cell membranes, and it is the most abundant sphingolipid. Ceramide, a hydrolysis product from SM, has an important role in cellular signaling, and especially in the regulation of apoptosis, cell differentiation, transformation and proliferation. Due to its major role in the water-retaining properties of the epidermis, ceramide is of great commercial potential in cosmetic and pharmaceuticals such as hair and skin care products. In current, ceramide is not easy to synthesis for industrial application and synthetic ceramide is still expensive. Therefore, it is desirable to develop alternative cost-efficient, high yield production methods. This study optimized the enzymatic production of ceramide from SM. Phospholipase C from Clostridium perfringens was chosen to catalyze the reaction. Several important factors were considered in optimization.