Alpha-cholesteryl glycosides biosynthesized by the human pathogen <i>Heliobacter pylori</i> have been shown to modulate host immunity allowing the bacteria to go undetected in the human stomach.  Alpha-linked galactosyl ceramides of bacterial origin also mediate host immune response through iNKT cell activation.  Before 2013, steryl glycoside biosynthesis had not been characterized in mammalian tissues.  Important studies by Mirokumi-Murokushi and co-workers showed that human fibroblast cells subjected to heat shock auto-synthesize beta-cholesteryl glucoside from beta-glucosyl ceramide.  The enzyme, glucosyl ceramide-degrading enzyme (GBA1), is implicated in the exchange of glucose between these two lipids.  Interestingly, GBA1 deficiency is also correlated with Parkinson’s disease in human subjects.  Taken together, these findings suggest interdependent roles for steryl glycosides and glycosyl ceramides in the modulation of human health, particularly with respect to neurotoxicity and immune response. Studies in the Gervay-Hague group focus on the synthesis of steryl glycoside analogs to study glycolipid biology and the most recent findings toward this end will be presented.

Synthesis of steryl glycoside analogs to study glycolipid biology

251st National Meeting (2016)

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