Human alveolar macrophages are unique in that they have an extended life span in contrast to precursor monocytes. In evaluating the role of sphingolipids in alveolar macrophage survival, we found high levels of sphingosine, but not sphingosine-1-phosphate. Sphingosine is generated by the action of ceramidase(s) on ceramide, and alveolar macrophages have high constitutive levels of acid ceramidase mRNA, protein, and activity. The high levels of acid ceramidase were specific to alveolar macrophages, because there was little ceramidase protein or activity (or sphingosine) in monocytes from matching donors. In evaluating prolonged survival of alveolar macrophages, we observed a requirement for constitutive activity of ERK MAPK and the PI3K downstream effector Akt. Blocking acid ceramidase but not sphingosine kinase activity in alveolar macrophages led to decreased ERK and Akt activity and induction of cell death. These studies suggest an important role for sphingolipids in prolonging survival of human alveolar macrophages via distinct survival pathways.
Pharmacology, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science
1
4%
Business, Management and Accounting
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4%
Other
1
4%
Unknown
4
17%
Attention Score in Context
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 9. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 16 February 2021.
All research outputs
#4,585,058
of 30,539,290 outputs
Outputs from The Journal of Immunology
#2,944
of 31,283 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#8,751
of 70,964 outputs
Outputs of similar age from The Journal of Immunology
#25
of 284 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 30,539,290 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 83rd percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 31,283 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 6.1. This one has done well, scoring higher than 83% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 70,964 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done well, scoring higher than 83% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 284 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 84% of its contemporaries.
