Endometriosis Knowledgebase


A repository for genes associated with endometriosis

Results


PMID 24960545
Gene Name SMPD3
Condition Endometriosis
Association Associated
Population size 77
Population details 77 (63 women with endometriosis, 14 women without endometriosis)
Sex Female
Associated genes SMS1, GCS
Other associated phenotypes Endometriosis
Dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism in endometriosis.

J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 2014 Oct;99(10):E1913-21. doi: 10.1210/jc.2014-1340.

Lee, Yie Hou| Tan, Chin Wen| Venkatratnam, Abhishek| Tan, Chuen Seng| Cui, Liang| Loh, Seong Feei| Griffith, Linda| Tannenbaum, Steven R| Chan, Jerry Kok Yen

BioSym (Y.H.L., C.W.T., A.V., L.G., S.R.T.) and Infectious Diseases Inter-Disciplinary Research Groups (Y.H.L., L.C., S.R.T.), Singapore-MIT Alliance for Research and Technology, Singapore 138602; Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health (C.S.T.), Nationa

BACKGROUND: In endometriosis, the establishment and subsistence of ectopic lesions outside the endometrium suggest an altered cellular state for pathological hyperplasia. Sphingolipids are bioactive compounds, and their biosynthesis and metabolism modulate a range of cellular processes including proliferation, migration and apoptosis. We demonstrate that aberrations in sphingolipid metabolism occur in women with endometriosis. METHODS: Targeted mass spectrometry on >120 sphingolipids were measured in the sera (n = 62), peritoneal fluid (n = 63), and endometrial tissue (n = 14) of women with and without endometriosis. Quantitative RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were performed on endometrial tissues determine the expression levels of sphingolipid enzymes. RESULTS: Sphingolipidomics identified the in vivo accumulation of numerous sphingolipids, including the functionally antagonistic glucosylceramides and ceramides in the serum and PF of women with endometriosis. We found upregulation of specific sphingolipid enzymes, namely sphingomyelin synthase 1 (SMS1), sphingomyelinase 3 (SMPD3), and glucosylceramide synthase (GCS) in the endometrium of endometriotic women with corresponding increased GlcCer, decreased sphingomyelin levels, and decreased apoptosis in the endometrium. CONCLUSIONS: Our sphingolipidomics approach provided evidence of altered sphingolipid metabolism flux in serum, peritoneal fluid, and endometrial tissue in women with endometriosis. The results provide new information on how sphingolipids and eutopic endometrium may contribute to the pathophysiology of endometriosis. The results also have implications for the use of sphingolipids as potential biomarkers.

Mesh Terms: Adult| Apoptosis/physiology| Ascitic Fluid/metabolism| Cell Movement/physiology| Cell Proliferation| Endometriosis/*enzymology/pathology| Female| Glucosyltransferases/genetics/*metabolism| Humans| Infertility, Female/genetics/metabolism| Membran