Ceramide traffic in C6 glioma cells: evidence for CERT-dependent and independent transport from ER to the Golgi apparatus.

Intracellular movements of ceramide are strongly limited by its hydrophobic nature, and the mechanisms involved in ceramide transport can represent a crucial aspect of sphingolipid metabolism and signaling. The recent identification of the ceramide specific carrier protein CERT has revealed a novel pathway for the delivery of ceramide to the Golgi apparatus for sphingomyelin biosynthesis. In this study we investigated the metabolic and functional role of CERT in C6 glioma cells.

HMGB1 as an autocrine stimulus in human T98G glioblastoma cells: role in cell growth and migration.

HMGB1 (high mobility group box 1 protein) is a nuclear protein that can also act as an extracellular trigger of inflammation, proliferation and migration, mainly through RAGE (the receptor for advanced glycation end products); HMGB1-RAGE interactions have been found to be important in a number of cancers. We investigated whether HMGB1 is an autocrine factor in human glioma cells. Western blots showed HMGB1 and RAGE expression in human malignant glioma cell lines.