Therapeutic Potential for Sphingolipids in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Colorectal Cancer.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), characterized by chronic inflammation in the intestinal tract, increases the risk for the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). Sphingolipids, which have been implicated in IBD and CRC, are a class of bioactive lipids that regulate cell signaling, differentiation, apoptosis, inflammation, and survival. The balance between ceramide (Cer), the central sphingolipid involved in apoptosis and differentiation, and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P), a potent signaling molecule involved in proliferation and inflammation, is vital for the maintenance of normal cellular function.

A novel HSPB1 mouse model of Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease (CMT) is a commonly inherited peripheral polyneuropathy. Clinical manifestations for this disease include symmetrical distal polyneuropathy, altered deep tendon reflexes, distal sensory loss, foot deformities, and gait abnormalities. Genetic mutations in heat shock proteins have been linked to CMT2.