Role of sphingolipid in the pathogenesis of asthma

Sphingolipids are important constituent of eukaryote membrane with many cellular biological functions, involved in cellular signaling pathways inside and outside cells.Sphingolipids and their metabolites play virous roles in the occurrence and development of the disease under different pathological conditions.In recent years, the research on abnormal metabolites of sphingolipids have been interested especially the sphingosine and ceramide and their group-modified products with the progress of metabolomics, which is the emerging methodology following the genomics and the protemics.Studies have shown that the abnormal metabolites of sphingolipids play an important role in the pathophysiology of asthma and are involved in the processes of airway inflammation, hyperresponsiveness and its remodeling acknowleged as the main characteristics universally.Some particular sphingolids and their abnormal metablic pathways maybe expected to be the new drug targets for the treatment of asthma.