FIGURE 1.

Sphingolipid de novo synthesis pathway. Sphingolipid synthesis starts with the condensation of an amino group with Acyl-CoA, leading to the formation of 3 Keto-dihydrosphingosine which is ultimately converted into dihydroceramide (DHS). Dihydroceramide is subsequently desaturated to ceramide, a central molecule in sphingolipid metabolism. Ceramide serves as a precursor for various sphingolipids, including sphingomyelin, Ceramide-1-phosphate, glucosylceramides, and sphingosine, through the addition of different headgroups.