Figure 2.
Outlines of ceramide-driven signaling pathways. Ceramide activates PP2A, which activates Bax and suppresses Bcl-2 to promote apoptosis. Ceramide suppresses Akt, inactivates downstream mTOR, and induces autophagy. Ceramide activates PKCζ, which inhibits Akt phosphorylation and activates JNK. Activated c-Jun increases Beclin1 expression. Ceramide also increases NADPH oxidase- and mitochondrial complex III-mediated ROS production. NADPH oxidase, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase; PP2A, protein phosphatase 2A; ER stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress; ROS, reactive oxygen species; mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycin.