Cellular signalling by sphingosine kinase and sphingosine 1-phosphate

Sphingosine kinases, through the formation of the bioactive phospholipid sphingosine 1-phosphate, have been implicated in a diverse range of cellular processes, including cell proliferation, apoptosis, calcium homeostasis, angiogenesis and vascular maturation. The last few years have seen a number of significant advances in understanding of the mechanisms of action, activation, cellular localisation and biological roles of these enzymes. Here we review the current understanding of the regulation of and cellular signalling by sphingosine kinase and sphingosine 1-phosphate and discuss recent findings implicating sphingosine kinase as a potential therapeutic target for the control of cancer, inflammation and a number of other diseases. We suggest that, since the activation and subcellular localization of these enzymes appear to play critical roles in their biological functions, targeting these processes may provide more specific therapeutic options than direct catalytic inhibitors.