Glucosylsphingosines

Glucosylsphingosine is the lyso-derivative of the important glycolipid glucosylceramide. Glucosylceramide and glucosylsphingosine are key biological species that serve as precursors for many complex glycosphingolipids. These lipids are involved in critical cellular functions such as cellular proliferation, differentiation, adhesion, signal transduction, cell-to-cell interactions, tumorigenesis, and metastasis. One of the most important roles of glucosylsphingosine is as a biomarker for the lysosomal storage disorder Gaucher disease.^1,2

References:

1. E. Orvisky et al. “Glucosylsphingosine accumulation in tissues from patients with Gaucher disease: correlation with phenotype and genotype” Molecular genetics and metabolism, Vol. 76(4) pp. 262-270, 2002
2. R. Brady et al. “Toxicity of glucosylsphingosine (glucopsychosine) to cultured neuronal cells: a model system for assessing neuronal damage in Gaucher disease type 2 and 3” Neurobiology of Disease, Vol. 14(3) pp. 595-601, 2003