鞘糖脂的人工合成体系研究进展

Advances in artificial biosynthesis of glycosphingolipids

鞘糖脂(glycosphingolipids,GSLs)是真核生物细胞膜的重要组成部分,广泛参与细胞信号传导、免疫、增殖及凋亡等各项生理活动。鞘糖脂类具有作为药物、治疗靶标及潜在诊断标记的潜力,并且与多种疾病的发病机制及相关药物开发密切相关。目前,鞘糖脂类药物的大量制备主要依赖从动物脑组织中提取,存在成本较高、来源有限且有受疯牛病等人畜共患病污染的潜在危险。因此,对鞘糖脂的人工生物合成研究成为学术界的热点。本文中,笔者主要阐述鞘糖脂的化学酶法合成和人工细胞工厂构建方面的研究进展。

Glycosphingolipids(GSLs)are important components of eukaryotic cell membrane,and widely involved in various physiological processes such as cell signaling,immunity,proliferation and apoptosis.Glycosphingolipids have potential as diagnostic markers,therapeutic targets or drugs for various diseases,and have attracted extensive attention in pharmaceutical field.Isolation of glycosphingolipids from natural sources is common but subject to several notable limitations,including potential transmission of disease,heterogeneity,and in some cases,scarcity.Therefore,research on the methods for biosynthesis of glycosphingolipids has attracted much attention recently.This review describes the research progress in the chemo-enzymatic synthesis and the construction of cell factories for glycosphingolipids.