Physiological relevance of sphingolipid activator proteins in cultured human fibroblasts

The physiological degradation of several membrane-bound glycosphingolipids (GSLs) by water-soluble lysosomal exohydrolases requires the assistance of sphingolipid activator proteins (SAPs). Four of these SAPs are synthesized from a single precursor protein (prosaposin). Inherited deficiency of this precursor results in a rare disease in humans with an accumulation of ceramide (Cer) and glycolipids such as glucosylceramide and lactosylceramide (LacCer). In a previous study, we have shown that human SAP-D stimulates the lysosomal degradation of Cer in precursor deficient cells. In order to study the role of SAPs (or saposins) A-D in cellular GSL catabolism, we recently investigated the catabolism of exogenously added [(3)H]labeled ganglioside GM1, Forssman lipid, and endogenously [(14)C]labeled GSLs in SAP-precursor deficient human fibroblasts after the addition of recombinant SAP-A, -B, -C and -D. We found that activator protein deficient cells are still able to slowly degrade gangliosides GM1 and GM3, Forssman lipid and globotriaosylceramide to a significant extent, while LacCer catabolism critically depends on the presence of SAPs. The addition of either of the SAPs, SAP-A, SAP-B or SAP-C, resulted in an efficient hydrolysis of LacCer.