Oral Administration of Glucosylceramide Suppresses Tumor Growth by Affecting the Ceramide/Sphingosine-1-Phosphate Balance in Breast Cancer Tissue.

Background: Ceramide and sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) play opposing roles in cell death and survival, and maintain a dynamic balance called the sphingolipid rheostat. Glucosylceramide is a substrate to generate ceramide but its effect on breast cancer by oral administration was never tested. The purpose of this study was to reveal the anticancer activity of glucosylceramide and its potential as a new therapeutic agent in breast cancer.

Methods: E0771 cells were inoculated into the breast tissue of female C57BL/6NJcl mice. Glucosylceramide was administered orally to the mice for nine consecutive days. The concentrations of sphingolipid mediators including ceramide, glucosylceramide, and S1P in tumor tissues and serum were determined by mass spectrometry.

Results: Oral administration of glucosylceramide significantly suppressed E0771 tumor growth compared with the control group (P = 0.006). There were no significant differences in the serum concentrations of sphingolipid mediators including ceramide and S1P between the mice treated with glucosylceramide and control-treated mice. The ceramide concentration was significantly lower in tumor tissues (P = 0.026), and the S1P concentration was significantly higher than that in paired non-tumor tissues (P = 0.009). The S1P concentration in tumor tissues was significantly lower in mice treated with glucosylceramide than in control-treated mice (P = 0.001). The ceramide-to-S1P concentration ratio in tumor tissues was significantly higher in mice treated with glucosylceramide than in control-treated mice (P = 0.034).

Conclusions: Breast tumors could enhance their survival by increasing S1P conversion from ceramide. Oral administration of glucosylceramide suppressed tumor growth by affecting the ceramide/S1P balance. Oral administration of glucosylceramide is a promising basis for a new therapeutic approach.