A functional state of the sphingomyelin cycle and activity of free radical oxidation of rat liver lipids at different phases of starvation

A functional state of the sphingomyeline cycle and its links with processes of free radical lipid oxidation have been investigated in rat liver during starvation of animals without any restriction of access to drinking water at day 1, 2, 3 (phase I) and day 6 (phase II of starvation). The maximal values of the ceramide/sphingomyelin ratio and activities of neutral sphingomyelinase and executive caspase-3 were found in rat livers at day 3 of starvation. Since day 3 of starvation an increase of tumour necrosis factor-α, one of neutral sphingomyelinase activators, was detected in serum. During the major part of phase I of starvation the intensity of liver free radical lipid peroxidation was comparable to that of control due to competent functioning of the antioxidant defense system. Transition of phase I to phase II of starvation (day 6 of the experiment) was accompanied by the development of oxidative stress associated with depletion of the antioxidant defense system. The results obtained in this study suggest that phase I of starvation favors realization of the ceramide-mediated proapoptotic signaling in the liver. In our viewpoint, ceramide-mediated apoptosis is one of mechanisms used optimization of liver cellular population within the frame of metabolic adaptation. In rat liver phase I of starvation was characterized by prevailing of the ceramide-mediated proapoptotic signaling, while in phase II oxidative stress dominated.